General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum · The Australian Curriculum includes seven general capabilities: x Literacy x Numeracy x Information and communication technology

General Capabilities

in the Australian Curriculum

January 2013

www.acara.edu.au

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Overview

General capabilities in the Australian Curriculum

General capabilities, a key dimension of the Australian Curriculum, are addressed explicitly in the content of the learning areas. They play a significant role in realising the goals set out in the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA 2008) – that all young people in Australia should be supported to become successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens.

The Melbourne Declaration identifies essential skills for twenty-first century learners – in literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology (ICT), thinking, creativity, teamwork and communication. It describes individuals who can manage their own wellbeing, relate well to others, make informed decisions about their lives, become citizens who behave with ethical integrity, relate to and communicate across cultures, work for the common good and act with responsibility at local, regional and global levels.

The general capabilities encompass the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that, together with curriculum content in each learning area and the cross-curriculum priorities, will assist students to live and work successfully in the twenty-first century. They complement the key learning outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework (COAG 2009) – that children have a strong sense of identity and wellbeing, are connected with and contribute to their world, are confident and involved learners and effective communicators.

The Australian Curriculum includes seven general capabilities:

• Literacy • Numeracy • Information and communication technology (ICT) capability • Critical and creative thinking • Personal and social capability • Ethical understanding • Intercultural understanding.

General capabilities in the Australian Curriculum

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General capabilities materials for schools and teachers

These materials are presented as a resource to help teachers:

• develop a shared understanding of the nature, scope and sequence of the general capabilities in the Australian Curriculum

• confirm their understanding of intended learning wherever general capabilities are identified in learning area content descriptions and elaborations

• plan for and guide students’ development of the general capabilities in school and classroom learning programs.

Development of the general capabilities materials

First published in 2010 and revised in 2011 following a national consultation process, the general capabilities materials were developed to inform the writing of learning area curriculum (Foundation to Year 10) and to ensure the strong and coherent inclusion of the general capabilities in the Australian Curriculum.

They were developed by writing teams with expertise in the particular capabilities, together with advice from the General Capabilities Advisory Group, academics, focus groups of teachers and curriculum experts from state and territory education authorities. The materials build on significant state and territory initiatives and practice, and are informed by national and international research.

More recently, general capabilities materials have been further developed to assist schools and teachers in understanding the general capabilities in the Australian Curriculum and in supporting the individual learning needs of diverse learners. This work includes the extension of all learning continua from three to six levels in Critical and creative thinking, ICT capability, Personal and social capability, Ethical understanding and Intercultural understanding. In Literacy an additional four levels and in Numeracy an additional two levels have been included at Level 1 to address learning in the early years and to maximise the curriculum’s flexibility for all students, assisting teachers to cater for student diversity and personalise learning. For more detailed information go to Student Diversity.

Work associated with general capabilities is ongoing. Future work includes:

• verification of the extended learning continua in schools

• monitoring and review of the materials as additional learning areas are developed and approved by Ministers for implementation in schools

• investigating whether there is a need to further extend other capability learning continua to better reflect the learning needs of all students

• revision of the ICT capability in conjunction with the development of the Australian Curriculum: Technologies

• following completion of all learning area curriculum, a review of the extent to which general capabilities have been addressed in the Australian Curriculum.

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Teaching and assessment of general capabilities

Teachers are expected to teach and assess general capabilities to the extent that they are incorporated within each learning area.

State and territory school authorities will determine whether and how student learning of the general capabilities will be further assessed and reported.

For some students, it may be necessary to adjust the levels of complexity and the processes they use to develop capabilities. However, the role and place of general capabilities in the Australian Curriculum remain the same for all students.

Nature of general capabilities

In the Australian Curriculum ‘capability’ encompasses knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions. Students develop capability when they apply knowledge and skills confidently, effectively and appropriately in complex and changing circumstances, both in their learning at school and in their lives outside school. The encouragement of positive behaviours and dispositions underpins all general capabilities. Within individual capabilities, specific behaviours and dispositions have been identified and incorporated into each learning continuum as appropriate.

General capabilities comprise an integrated and interconnected set of knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that students develop and use in their learning across the curriculum, in co-curricular programs and in their lives outside school.

While each of the capabilities covers a particular body of learning, it should be noted that some knowledge, skills, dispositions and behaviours are shared across capabilities. In some cases, a particular aspect of one capability is covered in another, for example, the application of social and ethical protocols in the use of digital technologies is included in ICT capability, and effective communication in social interactions is included in Personal and social capability. In other cases, to avoid undue repetition, some aspects common to several capabilities are identified in the capability where the strongest representation occurs, for example, empathy is identified in Intercultural understanding even though it is also an important aspect of Personal and social capability.

When combined in learning area contexts, general capabilities enhance and complement each other. For example, students require Literacy skills and ICT capability to communicate effectively across all learning areas. They apply Intercultural understanding and Personal and social capability when they challenge stereotypes and prejudice in texts and interactions with others.

It is important to recognise that the capabilities are intended to be ‘general’ and operate across the whole curriculum. More ‘specialised’ knowledge and skills will be detailed in learning areas, particularly in relation to literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology.

Students in Australian schools bring different world views, histories and abilities to their learning. This means that some aspects of the capabilities may be interpreted and enacted in different ways. For example, the world views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples inform Personal and social capability by drawing on responsibilities and relationships within cultural knowledge systems that connect the personal, through kin and community, to land, sky and waterways.

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General capabilities in the learning areas

In the Australian Curriculum, general capabilities are addressed through the learning areas and are identified wherever they are developed or applied in content descriptions. They are also identified where they offer opportunities to add depth and richness to student learning in content elaborations.

Icons (as shown below) indicate where general capabilities have been identified in learning area content descriptions and elaborations. Users can also see which capability elements are addressed in the content description by selecting the capability icon. A filter function on the Australian Curriculum website assists users to identify F–10 curriculum content where a capability has been identified.

Teachers may find further opportunities to incorporate explicit teaching of general capabilities depending on their choice of activities and the individual learning needs of their students. Students can also be encouraged to develop capabilities through personally relevant initiatives of their own design.

Literacy

Numeracy

ICT capability

Critical and creative thinking

Personal and social capability

Ethical understanding

Intercultural understanding

Each learning area includes a brief description of the general capabilities that have been explicitly included in the content or advice about those general capabilities that could be developed through particular teaching contexts.

• General capabilities in English (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/General-capabilities)

• General capabilities in Mathematics (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Mathematics/General-capabilities)

• General capabilities in Science (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Science/General-capabilities)

• General capabilities in History (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/History/General-capabilities)

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Many capabilities find ‘natural homes’ in specific learning areas (for example, Literacy in English, Numeracy in Mathematics, ICT capability in Technologies, Personal and social capability in Health and Physical Education and English, and Intercultural understanding in Languages. Many of the foundational capability knowledge and skills are likely to be taught most explicitly in these learning areas, and applied, adapted, strengthened and extended in other learning areas.

General capabilities are represented to different degrees in each of the learning areas. Literacy, Numeracy, ICT capability, and Critical and creative thinking are fundamental in students becoming successful learners. While the primary development of Literacy, Numeracy and ICT capability is based in English, Mathematics and Technologies respectively, the development and application of these capabilities across the curriculum is essential to effective teaching and learning. Further information about the relationships between English/ Literacy, Mathematics/ Numeracy and Technologies/ ICT capability in the Australian Curriculum is provided in the introductions to relevant capabilities.

Personal and social capability, Ethical understanding and Intercultural understanding focus on ways of being and behaving, and learning to live with others, and are more strongly represented in some learning areas than in others Though all learning involves some personal and social dimensions, these capabilities are most evident wherever personal, social and cultural learning is highlighted.

In these capabilities in the early years, learning is often described in broad terms, as this is where foundational knowledge and skills are developed, for example, in Intercultural understanding descriptions refer to fundamental concepts related to personal identity and belonging rather than to specific cultural knowledge as these concepts underpin personal dimensions of intercultural understanding

Structure of the materials

The materials for each general capability are in three parts:

• an introduction that describes the nature and scope of the capability, its place in the learning areas and its evidence base

• organising elements that underpin a learning continuum

• a learning continuum that describes the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that students can reasonably be expected to have developed at particular stages of schooling.

Learning continua

The general capabilities are presented as learning continua or sequences that describe the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that students can reasonably be expected to have developed by the end of particular years of schooling.

The learning continua are based on the belief that students need opportunities to develop capabilities over time and across learning areas. What is learned in the early years supports all subsequent learning. The learning continua assume it is possible to map common paths for general capability development while recognising that each student’s pace of development may be influenced by factors such as their prior experience, sense of self in the world and cognitive capacity.

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Capability descriptions include general examples and learning area examples that illustrate ways each general capability has been addressed in specific learning area content descriptions. These can be accessed online by selecting examples at the end of each capability description. As each learning area is published, further examples will be added to illustrate how general capabilities are addressed in that learning area.

All learning continua typically, but not exclusively, align with years of schooling. Stages in each learning continuum are labelled from Levels 1 to 6 to emphasise that the continuum presents a sequence of learning independent of student age. An accompanying statement indicates that the level typically applies to students by the end of a given year of schooling. to show the relationship with learning area content descriptions. .

For Literacy, Level 1 is divided into five sub-levels — Level 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d and 1e. Levels 1a-1d represent the development of early literacy skills with a particular emphasis on communication. Level 1a begins with unintentional communication progressing to intentional symbolic communication at Level 1d. Level 1e begins to focus on the application of literacy skills.

For Numeracy, Level 1 is divided into two sub-levels — Level 1a and 1b to represent the progression from early numeracy to numeracy skills. Level 1a has a particular emphasis on the language of numeracy in everyday contexts and Level 1b an emphasis on the application of numeracy skills. Level 1a assumes students are able to communicate with intent.

Each learning continuum is available online in two views:

• the first shows expected learning across the levels in a table format

• the second shows expected learning for each level in turn, in text format.

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Literacy

Introduction

In the Australian Curriculum, students become literate as they develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions to interpret and use language confidently for learning and communicating in and out of school and for participating effectively in society. Literacy involves students in listening to, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating oral, print, visual and digital texts, and using and modifying language for different purposes in a range of contexts.

The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA 2008) recognises literacy as an essential skill for students in becoming successful learners and as a foundation for success in all learning areas. Success in any learning area depends on being able to use the significant, identifiable and distinctive literacy that is important for learning and representative of the content of that learning area.

Scope of the Literacy capability

Literacy encompasses the knowledge and skills students need to access, understand, analyse and evaluate information, make meaning, express thoughts and emotions, present ideas and opinions, interact with others and participate in activities at school and in their lives beyond school.

Becoming literate is not simply about knowledge and skills. Certain behaviours and dispositions assist students to become effective learners who are confident and motivated to use their literacy skills broadly. Many of these behaviours and dispositions are also identified and supported in other general capabilities. They include students managing their own learning to be self-sufficient; working harmoniously with others; being open to ideas, opinions and texts from and about diverse cultures; returning to tasks to improve and enhance their work; and being prepared to question the meanings and assumptions in texts.

For a description of the organising elements for Literacy, go to Organising elements.

Literacy across the curriculum

Literacy presents those aspects of the Language and Literacy strands of the English curriculum that should also be applied in all other learning areas. It is not a separate component of the Australian Curriculum and does not contain new content. In some instances in the Literacy learning continuum, examples or more explanation have been included to show how aspects of the Language and Literacy strands of the English curriculum function in other learning areas.

While much of the explicit teaching of literacy occurs in the English learning area, it is strengthened, made specific and extended in other learning areas as students engage in a range of learning activities with significant literacy demands. These literacy-rich situations are a part of learning in all curriculum areas. Paying attention to the literacy demands of each learning area ensures that students’ literacy development is strengthened so that it supports subject-based learning. This means that:

• all teachers are responsible for teaching the subject-specific literacy of their learning area

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• all teachers need a clear understanding of the literacy demands and opportunities of their learning area

• literacy appropriate to each learning area can be embedded in the teaching of the content and processes of that learning area.

The Literacy continuum will enable learning area teachers to:

• identify the general level of expected language and literacy skills for each year level that they are teaching

• plan how to teach specific language and literacy knowledge and skills essential to students’ understanding of learning area content.

For students who speak a language or dialect other than Standard Australian English at home, access to language and literacy development is especially important. EAL/D students learn English at the same time as they are learning the content of each learning area through English. For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, their home language is a dialect of English such as Aboriginal English. This means that they learn the English of the school context and of the curriculum as a second dialect. It is important to acknowledge the home language, prior knowledge and experiences of these students, and to build on these in developing students’ literacy capabilities in the curriculum. The English as an Additional Language or Dialect: Teacher Resource can be used in conjunction with the Literacy general capability to assist teachers in meeting the language-learning needs of these students.

Some students move slowly between levels or may remain at one level of the learning continuum throughout their schooling. The Literacy learning continuum enables teachers to plan for the teaching of targeted literacy skills through age-equivalent learning area content. The elements of Comprehending and Composing represent the overarching processes of receptive and expressive language and can apply to students at any point in their schooling. The beginning of the learning sequence for these two elements has been extended by an additional four levels (Levels 1a to 1d) to describe in particular the development of communication skills. For more detailed advice on using the Literacy continuum to personalise learning go to Student Diversity.

The Literacy capability is addressed through the learning areas and is identified wherever it is developed or applied in content descriptions. It is also identified where it offers opportunities to add depth and richness to student learning in content elaborations. An icon indicates where Literacy has been identified in learning area content descriptions and elaborations. A filter function on the Australian Curriculum website assists users to find where Literacy has been identified in F–10 curriculum content. Teachers may find further opportunities to incorporate explicit teaching of Literacy depending on their choice of activities and the individual learning needs of their students. Students can also be encouraged to develop capability through personally relevant initiatives of their own design.

• Literacy in English (http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/General-capabilities)

• Literacy in Mathematics (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Mathematics/General-capabilities)

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• Literacy in Science (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Science/General-capabilities)

• Literacy in History (http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/History/General-capabilities)

Background

This background summarises the evidence base from which Literacy's introduction, organising elements and learning continuum have been developed. It draws on the Australian Curriculum: English recent international and national research, initiatives and programs that focus on literacy across the curriculum, as well as research and strategies in the development of communication skills.

The Australian Curriculum: English provides a rich resource for learning in all areas of the curriculum. The skills and knowledge taught in the Language and Literacy strands of the Australian Curriculum: English support and contribute to the literacy requirements needed for all learning areas. These skills and knowledge have been used as the basis for constructing the Literacy continuum as it relates to all learning areas of the curriculum.

The definition of literacy in the Australian Curriculum is informed by a social view of language that considers how language works to construct meaning in different social and cultural contexts. This view builds on the work of Vygotsky (1976), Brice Heath (1983), Halliday and Hasan (1985), Freebody and Luke (1990), Gee (1991, 2008), and Christie and Derewianka (2008), who have articulated the intrinsic and interdependent relationship between social context, meaning and language.

This view is concerned with how language use varies according to the context and situation in which it is used. There are important considerations for curriculum area learning stemming from this view because, as students engage with subject-based content, they must learn to access and use language and visual elements in the particular and specific ways that are the distinctive and valued modes of communication in each learning area. They need to learn how diverse texts build knowledge in different curriculum areas, and how language and visual information work together in distinctive ways to present this knowledge.

Language, verbal or non-verbal, is critical for the development of literacy skills. The ability to communicate enables learning across the curriculum, the school day and life outside of school. Development of communication can provide a way for students with a disability to access age-equivalent content and promote education equality (Browder and Spooner 2011). In many cases, developing literacy skills supports the development of communication skills and vice versa. This is the case for students who use augmentative and alternative communication as well as students who use speech to communicate (Speech Pathology Australia 2012).

The social view of language enables insights into differences between ‘spoken-like’ and ‘written-like’ language, and the increasing complexity of language as students progress through school. This is an important concept for subject-based learning. When young children begin school, they generally have developed facility with the spoken language of their home and community to interact informally in face-to-face situations in their immediate environment. This is the meaning-making system they use to engage with the learning experiences of the school; and their first interactions with written text generally employ print versions of ‘spoken-like’ language.

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As subject-based learning proceeds, particularly in the middle and later school years, the texts that students need to understand and produce take on increasingly formal and academic features, employing technical, abstract and specialised ‘written-like’ language forms, in order to communicate complexities of meaning. These texts include precise, densely packed information and place increasing cognitive demands on the student.

There are significant differences in the way different learning areas structure texts and in the language features and vocabulary that students are required to know and use. Therefore, a student’s repertoire of literacy knowledge and skills needs to be diverse, flexible, dynamic and versatile, developing throughout their schooling to deal with the increasing challenges and demands of the curriculum.

Like the Australian Curriculum: English, Literacy also takes account of visual literacy and the rapid changes that have occurred as a result of new technologies in the ways that communication takes place. It is informed by the work of Kress and Van Leeuwen (2006), who have identified a comprehensive grammar of visual design

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References

Brice Heath, S. 1983, Ways with Words: language, life and work in communities and classrooms, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Browder, D. & Spooner, F., 2011, Teaching Students with Moderate and Severe Disabilities, Guilford, New York.

Christie, F. & Derewianka, B. 2008, School Discourse: learning to write across the years of schooling, Continuum, London, New York.

Freebody, P. & Luke, A. 1990, ‘Literacies Programs: debates and demands in cultural context’, Prospect: Australian Journal of TESOL, vol. 5, no. 7, pp. 7–16.

Freebody, P. 2009, Literacy Across the Curriculum – Presentation: www.nlnw.nsw.edu.au/videos09/ (accessed 2 November 2011).

Gee, J. 1991, Rewriting Literacy, Bergin & Garvey, New York.

Gee, J. 2008, Social Linguists and Literacies: ideology in discourses, 3rd edn, Taylor & Francis, London.

Halliday, M.A.K. & Hasan, R. 1985, Language, Context and Text: aspects of language in a social-semiotic perspective, Deakin University Press, Geelong, Victoria.

Hanlen, W. 2010, Aboriginal Students: cultural insights for teaching literacy, NSW Department of Education and Training, NSW.

Katz, L.G. 1993, Dispositions as Educational Goals: http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/digests/1993/katzdi93.html (accessed 2 November 2011).

Kress, G.R. & Van Leeuwen, T. 2006, Reading Images: the grammar of visual design, 2nd edn, Routledge, New York.

Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training & Youth Affairs 2008, Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians: www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf (accessed 2 November 2011).

Speech Pathology Australia, 2012, Augmentative and Alternative Communication Clinical Guideline, Speech Pathology Australia, Melbourne.

Vygotsky, L. 1976, Thought and Language, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.

Walsh, M. 2011, Multimodal Literacy: researching classroom practice, e:lit, Primary English Teaching Association Australia, Newtown, Sydney.

ACARA, August 2011, Version 1.1 English as an Additional Language or Dialect: Teacher Resource, (http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/EALD_teacher_resource.pdf)

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Organising elements

The Literacy continuum incorporates two overarching processes:

• Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing • Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating

with the following areas of knowledge applying to both processes:

• Text knowledge • Grammar knowledge • Word knowledge • Visual knowledge.

These processes and areas of knowledge are used as the organising elements of the Literacy continuum. The elements are drawn from the Language and Literacy strands of the Australian Curriculum: English as shown in the table below:

Literacy Continuum Australian Curriculum: English

Language Literacy

Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing

Expressing and developing ideas

Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating Language for interaction

Interacting with others Creating texts

Text knowledge Text structure and organisation Concepts of print and screen

Interpreting, analysing, evaluating Creating texts

Grammar knowledge Expressing and developing ideas Language for interaction

Word knowledge Expressing and developing ideas

Visual knowledge

Expressing and developing ideas

Interpreting, analysing, evaluating Creating texts

Texts in the Literacy continuum

A text is the means for communication. Texts can be written, spoken, visual or multimodal, and in print or digital/online forms. Multimodal texts combine language with other systems for communicating such as visual images, soundtracks and spoken word, as in film or computer presentation media. Texts include all forms of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), for example gesture, signing, real objects, photographs, pictographs and Braille. The forms and conventions of texts have developed to help us communicate effectively with a variety of audiences for a range of purposes, and so texts in different learning areas can and do use language and other features in different ways.

Where the term ‘texts’ is used in the Literacy continuum, this should be read as the type of texts particular to or characteristic of a learning area; for example, reports, data displays and

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procedures in Mathematics; models, diagrams, explanations and reports in Science; and narratives, descriptions, discussions and explanations in History.

The diagram below sets out these elements.

Organising elements for Literacy


This element is about receptive language and involves students using skills and strategies to access and interpret spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts. It involves students navigating, reading and viewing texts using applied topic knowledge, vocabulary, word and visual knowledge. It involves students listening and responding to spoken audio and multimodal texts, including listening for information, listening to carry out tasks and listening as part of participating in classroom activities and discussions. It also involves students using a range of strategies to comprehend, interpret and analyse these texts, including retrieving and organising literal information, making and supporting inferences and evaluating information points of view. In developing and acting with literacy, students:

• listen and respond to learning area texts • read and view learning area texts • interpret and analyse learning area texts.

The element of Comprehending texts can apply to students at any point in their schooling. The beginning of the learning sequence for this element has been extended by an additional four levels (Levels 1a to 1d) to describe in particular the early development of communication skills. The descriptions for Comprehending texts at these levels apply across the elements of Text knowledge, Grammar knowledge, Word knowledge and Visual knowledge.

Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating

This element is about expressive language and involves students composing different types of texts for a range of purposes as an integral part of learning in all curriculum areas. These texts include spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts that explore, communicate and analyse information, ideas and issues in the learning areas. The element involves students creating formal and informal texts as part of classroom learning experiences including group and class discussions, talk that explores and investigates learning area topics, and formal and informal presentations and debates. In developing and acting with literacy, students:

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• compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts • use language to interact with others • deliver presentations.

The element of Composing texts can apply to students at any point in their schooling. The beginning of the learning sequence for this element has been extended by an additional four levels (Levels 1a to 1d) to describe in particular the development of communication skills. The descriptions for Composing texts at these levels apply across the elements of Text knowledge, Grammar knowledge, Word knowledge and Visual knowledge.

Text knowledge

This element involves students understanding how the spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts they compose and comprehend are structured to meet the range of purposes needed in the curriculum areas. It involves understanding the different types of text structures that are used within curriculum disciplines to present information, explain processes and relationships, argue and support points of view and investigate issues. The element also involves understanding how whole texts are made cohesive through various grammatical features that link and strengthen the text’s internal structure. In developing and acting with literacy, students:

• use knowledge of text structures

• use knowledge of text cohesion.

Grammar knowledge

This element involves students understanding the role of grammatical features in the construction of meaning in the texts they compose and comprehend. It involves understanding how different types of sentence structures present, link and elaborate ideas, and how different types of words and word groups convey information and represent ideas in the learning areas. The element also includes understanding the grammatical features through which opinion, evaluation, point of view and bias are constructed in texts. In developing and acting with literacy, students:

• use knowledge of sentence structures

• use knowledge of words and word groups

• express opinion and point of view.

Word knowledge

This element involves students understanding the increasingly specialised vocabulary and spelling needed to compose and comprehend learning area texts. It includes the development of strategies and skills for acquiring a wide topic vocabulary in the learning areas and the capacity to spell the relevant words accurately. In developing and acting with literacy, students:

• understand learning area vocabulary

• use spelling knowledge.

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Visual knowledge

This element involves students understanding how visual information contributes to the meanings created in learning area texts. It includes interpreting still and moving images, graphs, tables, maps and other graphic representations, and understanding and evaluating how images and language work together in distinctive ways in different curriculum areas to present ideas and information in the texts they compose and comprehend. In developing and acting with literacy, students:

• understand how visual elements create meaning.

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Literacy Learning Continuum


Level 1a

Students:

Level 1b

Students:

Level 1c

Students:

Level 1d

Students:

Comprehend texts

use behaviours that are not intentionally directed at another person to:

• attend to, respond to or show interest in familiar people, texts, events and activities

use informal behaviours that show consistent anticipation of events in regular routines to:

• attend consistently to familiar texts

• respond consistently to social interactions with familiar people

• demonstrate anticipation of predictable events

• respond to questions

• respond to requests

use conventional behaviours and/or concrete symbols consistently in an increasing range of environments and with familiar and unfamiliar people to:

• respond to a sequence of gestures, objects, photographs and/or pictographs, for example follow a visual schedule to complete a task

• respond to texts with familiar structures, for example by responding to a question

• respond to requests

use conventional behaviours and/or abstract symbols consistently in different contexts and with different people to:

• work out the meaning of texts with familiar structures, such as illustrated books, printed words, Braille texts and pictographs , using knowledge of context and vocabulary

• respond to questions, sequence events and identify information from texts with familiar structures

• use information in texts to explore a topic

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Level 1e Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6

Typically by the end of Foundation Year, students:

Typically by the end of Year 2, students:





Navigate, read and view learning area texts

navigate, read and view simple texts with familiar vocabulary and supportive illustrations

navigate, read and view texts with illustrations and simple graphics

navigate, read and view different types of texts with illustrations and more detailed graphics

navigate, read and view subject-specific texts with some challenging features and a range of graphic representations

navigate, read and view a variety of challenging subject-specific texts with a wide range of graphic representations

navigate, read and view a wide range of more demanding subject-specific texts with an extensive range of graphic representations

Examples

• using beginning knowledge of layout, context, vocabulary, grammar, phonics, visuals, and simple navigating functions on tablets and personal computers

Examples

• using and combining developing knowledge of layout, context, vocabulary, grammar, phonics and visuals, layout and navigational tools such as menu bars and icons

Examples

• using and combining increasing knowledge of page and screen layout, context, vocabulary, grammar, phonics and visuals including icons and buttons

Examples

• applying advanced knowledge of layout , context, vocabulary, grammar and visuals including home pages and sub-pages to aid navigation and use

Examples

• applying detailed and specific knowledge of layout, context, vocabulary, grammar, visuals

Examples

• applying detailed and extensive knowledge of layout, context, vocabulary, grammar and visuals

English ACELY1649

Science ACSSU002

History ACHHS018

English ACELY1669

Mathematics ACMNA030

Science ACSSU030

History ACHHK044

English ACELY1691


Science ACSSU072

History ACHHK077

English ACELY1712

Mathematics ACMMG137

Science ACSSU094

History ACHHK113

English ACELY1733


Science ACSSU149

History ACDSEH009

English ACELY1753


Science ACSSU184

History ACDSEH107

Listen and respond to learning area texts

listen and respond to brief listen to two or more step listen to spoken instructions listen to detailed spoken listen to extended spoken listen to a range of

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questions and one and two step instructions, listen for information in simple spoken texts and respond to audio texts and texts read aloud

instructions for undertaking learning tasks, listen for information about topics being learned in spoken and audio texts and respond to texts read aloud

with some detail for undertaking learning area tasks, listen to identify key information in spoken and multi-modal texts and respond to texts read aloud

instructions for undertaking learning tasks, listen to spoken and audio texts, and respond to and interpret information and opinions presented

and audio texts, respond to and interpret stated and implied meanings, and evaluate information and ideas

extended spoken and audio texts and respond to, interpret and evaluate ideas, information and opinions

Examples

• commenting on a text read aloud

Examples

• recalling information from a text read aloud

Examples

• listing information recalled from an audio text

Examples

• interrogating ideas presented in a group discussion

Examples

• making inferences from information presented in a spoken text

Examples

• identifying and challenging unstated assumptions in a spoken text

English ACELY1646

Mathematics ACMSP011

Science ACSSU004

History ACHHK004

English ACELY1668


Science ACSSU032

History ACHHK046

English ACELY1688


Science ACSSU072

History ACHHK077

English ACELY1709

Science ACSIS232

History ACHHK113

English ACELY1730

Science ACSIS140

History ACHHS153

English ACELY1750

Science ACSIS205

History ACHHS190

Interpret and analyse learning area texts

interpret simple texts using comprehension strategies

interpret and use texts to explore topics, gather information and make some obvious inferences using comprehension strategies

interpret literal information and make inferences to expand topic knowledge using comprehension strategies

interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing texts on similar topics or themes using comprehension strategies

interpret and evaluate information, identify main ideas and supporting evidence, and analyse different perspectives using comprehension strategies

interpret and evaluate information within and between texts, comparing and contrasting information using comprehension strategies

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Examples

• relating information to own experience, sequencing events, and drawing on information in illustrations

Examples

• drawing on prior knowledge, and interpreting illustrations and simple graphics

Examples

• linking print text and graphics, asking and answering questions and finding the main idea

Examples

• linking and summarising information from different sources

Examples

• checking the credibility of sources

Examples

• identifying embedded perspectives and evaluating supporting evidence

English ACELY1650


Science ACSSU002

History ACHHS018

English ACELY1670


Science ACSHE035

History ACHHS048

English ACELY1692


Science ACSSU073

History ACHHK078

English ACELY1713


Science ACSIS221

History ACHHK115

English ACELY1734


Science ACSHE227

History ACHHS154

English ACELY1754


Science ACSIS205

History ACHHS188

Page 20 of 148

Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating

Level 1a

Students:

Level 1b

Students:

Level 1c

Students:

Level 1d

Students:

Compose texts

use behaviours that are not intentionally directed at another person to:

• refuse or reject • reflect a preference or desire • reflect state of wellbeing, for example

contentment, joy, worry, pain • reflect a physical state, for example

hot, cold, nausea

use informal behaviours to intentionally communicate a single message consistently in familiar environments with familiar people, such as to:

• refuse or reject • express a preference • request the continuation of an activity • request something new • request more • request attention

use conventional behaviours and/or concrete symbols to intentionally communicate more than one idea at a time consistently across an increasing range of environments with familiar and unfamiliar people, such as to:

• refuse or reject

• request items, people or events present at the time

• create texts, for example to comment on a recent event, story or shared experience

use conventional behaviours and/or abstract symbols consistently in different contexts and with different people to communicate intentionally and consistently in different contexts and with different people to:

• create texts with familiar structures such as speech, simple print texts, keyboard texts, illustrations, pictographs

• comment on people, events and objects in the past, present and future and to ask questions

• convey knowledge about learning area topics








Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

compose short learning area texts, with support, to record and report ideas and

compose and edit a small range of learning area texts

compose and edit a range of learning area texts

compose and edit learning area texts

compose and edit longer sustained learning area

compose and edit longer and more complex learning

Page 21 of 148








events texts area texts

Examples

incorporating:

• expressive language such as speech or sign

• early writing knowledge

• drawing and other visual elements

Examples

incorporating:

• known topic information • familiar language

structures

• illustrations and simple graphics

Examples

incorporating:

• known and some researched information

• some more extended language features

• illustrations and different types of graphics

Examples

combining:

• information from several sources

• more formal and extended language features to report information and express opinions

• a range of graphics

Examples

incorporating:

• researched and analysed information

• complex language features to explore topics and express and support opinions

• a wide range of graphics

Examples

incorporating:

• researched and evaluated information

• complex language features to interpret and analyse challenging and complex issues

• an extensive range of graphics

English ACELY1651


Science ACSIS233

History ACHHS021

English ACELY1671


Science ACSHE034

History ACHHS053

English ACELY1694


Science ACSIS071

History ACHHS086

English ACELY1714


Science ACSIS110

History ACHHS124

English ACELY1736


Science ACSIS148

History ACHHS156

English ACELY1756


Science ACSIS208

History ACHHS192

Use language to interact with others

use short pair, group and class conversations and discussions as learning tools to explore learning area topics and to prepare for creating texts

use pair, group and class discussions as learning tools to explore learning area topics, to represent ideas and relationships, and to prepare for creating texts

use pair, group and class discussions about learning area topics as learning tools to explore and represent ideas and relationships, test possibilities and to prepare

use pair, group and class discussions and informal debates as learning tools to explore ideas and relationships, test possibilities, compare solutions and to prepare for

use pair, group and class discussions and formal and informal debates as learning tools to explore ideas, test possibilities, compare solutions, rehearse ideas and arguments in preparation

use pair, group and class discussions and formal and informal debates as learning tools to explore ideas, compare solutions, evaluate information and ideas, refine opinions and arguments in preparation

Page 22 of 148








for creating texts creating texts for creating texts for creating texts

Examples

• sharing likes and dislikes

Examples

• sharing ideas for conducting an investigation

Examples

• discussing data gathered in an investigation

Examples

• comparing solutions to a problem

Examples

• considering data and sharing and supporting opinions

Examples

• participating in a formal debate on an aspect of a topic being studied

English ACELY1646


Science ACSIS011

History ACHHK004

English ACELY1666


Science ACSIS037

History ACHHS049

English ACELY1688


Science ACSIS065

History ACHHS082

English ACELY1709


Science ACSIS110

History ACHHS125

English ACELY1730


Science ACSIS140

History ACHHS157

English ACELY1750


Science ACSIS208

History ACHHS193

Deliver presentations

plan and deliver short presentations related to learning area topics

plan, rehearse and deliver short presentations on learning area topics, incorporating some visual and multimodal elements

plan, rehearse and deliver presentations on learning area topics, incorporating some learned content and appropriate visual and multimodal elements

plan, research, rehearse and deliver presentations on learning area topics, selecting appropriate content and visual and multimodal elements to suit different audiences

plan, research, rehearse and deliver presentations on learning area topics, sequencing selected content and multimodal elements for accuracy and their impact on the audience

plan, research, rehearse and deliver presentations on more complex issues and learning area topics, combining visual and multimodal elements creatively to present ideas and information and support opinions and engage and persuade an audience

Page 23 of 148








Examples

• giving recounts of an experience

Examples

• recounting steps in a task

Examples

• providing researched information about a topic being studied

Examples

• explaining results of a group task

Examples

• describing a process and explaining its results

Examples

• providing evidence-based arguments to justify a position

English ACELY1647 English ACELY1667 English ACELY1689 English ACELY1710 English ACELY1731 English ACELY1751

Text knowledge








Use knowledge of text structures

use knowledge of some basic differences between imaginative and informative texts to select and use texts and compose simple learning area texts with teacher support

use knowledge of the structure and features of learning area texts to comprehend and compose a growing range of texts with some teacher support

use growing knowledge of the structure and features of learning area texts to comprehend and compose an increasing number and range of texts

use developing knowledge of the structure and features of learning area texts to comprehend and compose a range of more complex texts for identified purposes

use wide knowledge of the structure and features of learning area texts to comprehend and compose texts, using creative adaptations of text structures and conventions for citing others

use comprehensive knowledge of the structure and features of learning area texts to comprehend and compose complex texts in innovative ways, using conventions for citing others

Examples

• selecting an informative

Examples

• creating a recount of steps in a process in

Examples

• creating an information report to present

Examples

• creating a multimodal text to explain a process

Examples

• adapting digital text elements to create a

Examples

• creating a multimodal text to present, argue

Page 24 of 148








text to find information sequence researched information or set of events persuasive text and justify a course of action

English ACELA1430


Science ACSIS011

History ACHHS021

English ACELA1463


Science ACSIS042

History ACHHS053

English ACELA1490


Science ACSIS071

History ACHHS086

English ACELA1518


Science ACSIS110

History ACHHS124

English ACELA1543


Science ACSIS148

History ACHHS156

English ACELA1566


Science ACSIS208

History ACHHS192

Mathematics examples

• patterns

• simple statements of comparison

• days of the week

yes/no questions


• calendars

• simple maps

• word problems

• reports of steps in a process

• data displays such as lists and graphs


• reports of a process

• procedures on how to make mathematical shapes or complete a process

• data displays to represent information

• oral and written reports of group tasks

• multiplication and division word problems


• survey questions and reports

• procedures on how to make mathematical shapes or complete a process

• data displays with and without digital technologies

• explanations of mathematical processes

• recounts and evaluations of group tasks

• word problems involving addition and subtraction



• procedures on how to complete a mathematical task or process




• word problems



• procedures on how to complete a mathematical task or process




• word problems involving

Page 25 of 148








of fractions involving profit and loss algebraic equations

Science examples

• questions and answers

• statements of observations

• drawings to represent ideas

Science examples

• reports of steps in a process

• descriptions of observations

• annotated diagrams of observed objects or living things

• sequential explanations, for example explaining personal growth and changes from birth, life stages in animals

Science examples

• reports of a process

• information reports of procedures on how to design objects or processes

• annotated diagrams that illustrate relationships or processes

• descriptions of observed objects, living things or phenomena

• causal explanations, for example explaining how the properties and use of materials could lead to pollution

Science examples

• reports and evaluations of investigations

• information reports using multi-source research

• procedures on how to carry out a particular process or investigation using active voice

• causal explanations, for example explaining the effect of a change state caused by heating and cooling familiar substances

Science examples

• reports and evaluations of individual and group investigations

• factual reports using multi-source research

• persuasive texts to argue for a particular course of action

• discussion texts with supporting evidence to present both sides of a contentious issue and a conclusion

• procedures on how to carry out a particular process or investigation using passive voice

• consequential explanations, for example explaining how the flammability or corrosiveness of a substance affects its use

Science examples

• reports and evaluations of investigations

• factual reports using multi-source research

• evidence-based arguments using appropriate scientific language, conventions and representations to justify a position and persuade others

• discussion texts that, for example, present a point of view on a contentious issue with supporting evidence

• theoretical explanations, for example explaining the relationship between DNA, genes and chromosomes using models and diagrams

Page 26 of 148








History examples

• simple sequences of familiar objects and events

• questions and answers

• narratives about the past

History examples

• historical retellings of an event

• narratives built around historical events

• descriptions of historical people and places

History examples

• historical reports of an event

• historical narratives told from a particular perspective

• descriptions of an historical figure or place

History examples

• historical recounts of a series of events with some summative commentary

• historical narratives that retell past events, for example from a particular personal or cultural perspective

• detailed descriptions of particular places from the past demonstrating use of source material

• persuasive texts, for example presenting a particular point of view in relation to an historical event or figure

History examples

• historical recounts of a series of events with some summative commentary

• historical narratives that retell past events, for example from a particular personal or cultural perspective

• detailed descriptions, for example of particular places from the past demonstrating use of evidence from sources

• explanations that, for example, present the causes of an event

• discussion texts with supporting evidence

History examples

• historical recounts of a series of events or developments within a chronological framework with some summative or evaluative commentary

• explanations that, for example, consider past events from a particular personal or cultural perspective

• detailed descriptions of particular places from the past demonstrating use of evidence from primary and secondary sources, using appropriate referencing

• discussion texts that, for example, present historical arguments with supporting evidence

Use knowledge of text cohesion

use beginning knowledge of how language is used to

use knowledge of how texts are made cohesive through

use knowledge of how texts are made cohesive through

use knowledge of how cohesive links can be made

use knowledge of word functions to make

use knowledge of how the cohesion in texts is

Page 27 of 148








comprehend and compose written texts with support

word repetitions and associations, synonyms and antonyms to comprehend and compose texts

linking words and phrases, for example ‘so’, ‘therefore’, ‘then’, ‘in addition’, and the correct use of pronouns to comprehend and compose texts

in texts through omitting and replacing words

connections in texts improved by strengthening the internal structure

Examples

• using spaces between words and return sweep when writing

Examples

• using synonyms when speaking about a topic

Examples

• retelling a sequence of events

Examples

• substituting a general word for a specific one previously mentioned

Examples

• sequencing a text (firstly), developing an argument (therefore) and signalling a conclusion (in conclusion)

Examples

• using paragraphing, and providing examples, quotations and substantiation of claims

English ACELA1431


History ACHHK004

English ACELA1464


Science ACSIS042

History ACHHS053

English ACELA1491


Science ACSIS071

History ACHHS086

English ACELA1520


Science ACSIS110

History ACHHS124

English ACELA1809


Science ACSIS148

History ACHHS156

English ACELA1567


Science ACSIS208

History ACHHS192

Grammar knowledge








Page 28 of 148








Use knowledge of sentence structures

use simple sentences to record ideas and events with emerging knowledge of word order

use simple and compound sentences to record observations, and make connections between ideas

use simple, compound and complex sentence structures to describe, explain, report and make connections between ideas and events

use simple, compound and complex sentence structures to record, explain, question, describe and elaborate ideas and events

control a range of simple, compound and complex sentence structures to record, explain, question, argue, describe and link ideas, evidence and conclusions

control a range of simple, compound and complex sentence structures to convey complex ideas, build and support arguments, and change emphasis

Examples

• using simple sentences to record and report events

Examples

• linking clauses with a conjunction such as ‘and’, ‘but’ or ‘so’

Examples

• using before/after to explain a time relationship

Examples

• using conjunctions to indicate time (while), manner (as), cause (because), concession (although, while)

Examples

• using conjunctions such as ‘if’, ‘while’ to express logical relationships

Examples

• reordering clauses or using passive or active voice

English ACELA1435


Science ACSIS012

History ACHHS017

English ACELA1467


Science ACSIS041

History ACHHS054

English ACELA1494


Science ACSIS071

History ACHHS086

English ACELA1522


Science ACSIS110

History ACHHS124

English ACELA1545


Science ACSIS148

History ACHHS156

English ACELA1569


Science ACSIS208

History ACHHS192

Use knowledge of words and word groups

recognise that texts are made up of words and groups of words that make meaning

recognise and use nouns that represent people, places, things and ideas in the learning area and expand nouns to achieve

recognise and use adverbs and prepositional phrases that provide detailed descriptions in the learning

expand and sharpen ideas through careful choice of verbs and phrases and elaborated tenses

recognise and use aspects of language to suggest possibility, probability, obligation and conditionality

develop higher order concepts in academic texts through language features that compact and

Page 29 of 148








greater precision areas generalise ideas

Examples

• matching spoken words to written words when reading

Examples

• using articles and adjectives, such as 'community', 'my local community'

Examples

• reporting an action such as 'The block slid slowly down the slope'

Examples

• expanding a verb group such as

'He waited.'

'He/ had been waiting/ for a long time'

Examples

• using structures such as

'It might have been possible to…'

Examples

• using nominalisation, technical and abstract vocabulary

English ACELA1434


Science ACSIS012

History ACHHS022

English ACELA1465


Science ACSHE034

History ACHHS051

English ACELA1495


Science ACSIS071

History ACHHS086

English ACELA1523


Science ACSIS108

History ACHHS124

English ACELA1546


Science ACSIS145

History ACHHS156

English ACELA1570


Science ACSIS208

History ACHHS192

Express opinion and point of view

use speaking, visual elements (including drawing) and beginning writing to express likes and dislikes

identify and use language that expresses feelings and opinions, and compares and evaluates people and things

differentiate between the language of opinion and feeling and the language of factual reporting or recording

use subjective, objective and evaluative language, and identify bias

use language to evaluate an object, action or text, and language that is designed to persuade the reader/viewer

use language that indirectly expresses opinions and constructs representations of people and events, and consider expressed and implied judgments

Examples

• using simple word

Examples

• using adjectives to

Examples

• identifying verbs used to

Examples

• using language to

Examples

• identifying evaluations

Examples

• identifying evaluations

Page 30 of 148








choices such as like, love, enjoy

compare two elements (faster, older) and more than two (fastest, oldest)

express opinion (think, believe) and report findings (found, observed)

express a point of view, persuade an audience and report an event

achieved through word choice

achieved through exaggeration, irony, understatement and parody

English ACELA1429

Science ACSIS012

English ACELA1462

History ACHHS052

English ACELA1489


Science ACSIS065

History ACHHS085

English ACELA1517

Science ACSIS108

History ACHHS123

English ACELA1542

Science ACSIS139

History ACHHS155

English ACELA1565


Science ACSIS205

History ACHHS192

Word knowledge







Understand learning area vocabulary

use familiar vocabulary contexts related to everyday experiences, personal interests and topics taught at school and used in other contexts

use mostly familiar vocabulary, with a steady introduction of new vocabulary in learning area contexts

use growing subject-specific vocabulary to read, discuss and write about learning area topics

use vocabulary, including subject-specific vocabulary from a range of learning areas and vocabulary that expresses shades of meaning

use a wide range of new specialist and topic vocabulary to contribute to the specificity, authority and abstraction of texts

use subject-specific vocabulary to express abstract concepts, and refine vocabulary choices to discriminate between shades of meaning

Examples

• using familiar words in a class discussion

Examples

• using new terms in a spoken report

Examples

• using new topic vocabulary accurately in

Examples

• using technical vocabulary to explain a

Examples

• using exact terminology to create a detailed

Examples

• using vocabulary to express, argue and

Page 31 of 148







a written report process description justify a point of view

English ACELA1437


Science ACSSU003

History ACHHS019

English ACELA1470


Science ACSSU032

History ACHHS051

English ACELA1498


Science ACSHE062

History ACHHS082

English ACELA1515


Science ACSHE220

History ACHHS123

English ACELA1547


Science ACSSU150

History ACHHS149

English ACELA1571


Science ACSSU186

History ACHHS191

Use spelling knowledge

spell words using growing sound and letter knowledge and spell words with regular letter patterns

spell topic words, new words with regular letter patterns and some common irregular words, and recognise meaning relationships between words such as ‘’play’, ‘playing’, ‘playground’

spell topic words, more complex irregular words, regular words and word families containing known letters and letter clusters, and use strategies for attempting unknown words

spell topic words and use word origins, base words, prefixes and suffixes when spelling new words

spell specialist topic words and use knowledge of word origins, base words, prefixes and suffixes and unusual letter combinations to spell correctly

use knowledge of a wide range of English spelling conventions to spell unusual and technical words correctly and to deduce the meanings of unfamiliar words and spell unknown words

Example

• showing attempts at sound–letter matching to spell new words

Examples

• spelling known words accurately and consistently

Examples

• writing new topic words with growing accuracy

Examples

• demonstrating good spelling knowledge in attempts at unknown words

Examples

• showing great consistency and accuracy in spelling

Examples

• spelling accurately on almost all occasions

English ACELA1758


Science ACSIS012

History ACHHS021

English ACELA1471

Science ACSIS042

History ACHHS054

English ACELA1779

Science ACSIS071

History ACHHS086

English ACELA1526

Science ACSIS110

History ACHHS124

English ACELA1549

Science ACSIS148

History ACHHS156

English ACELA1573

Science ACSIS208

History ACHHS192

Page 32 of 148

Visual knowledge







Understand how visual elements create meaning

recognise the different meanings of words and images in imaginative and informative texts

describe how images add to, contradict or multiply the meanings of words in a text, and compare images with the accompanying print text

identify the effects of choices in the construction of images, including framing and composition

explain how analytical images such as figures, diagrams, tables, maps and graphs contribute to understanding of factual information in texts

analyse the effects of different visual elements upon the reader/viewer, and how visual texts such as advertisements and informative texts draw on and allude to other texts to enhance meaning

evaluate the impact of different visual choices in the composition of images, including symbolic images and movement of camera or light, to achieve different nuances

Examples

• identifying an object in a text in word and illustration

Examples

• identifying added information provided by an image

Examples

• identifying the relationship between elements in an image

Examples

• selecting a graph to present information

Examples

• explaining the impact of an image

Examples

• identifying the most effective image to include in a report

English ACELA1786


Science ACSIS233

History ACHHS022

English ACELT1587


Science ACSIS042

History ACHHS054

English ACELA1496


Science ACSIS071

History ACHHS087

English ACELA1524


Science ACSIS107

History ACHHS125

English ACELT1628


Science ACSIS144

History ACHHS157

English ACELA1572


Science ACSIS208

History ACHHS193

Page 33 of 148

Numeracy Introduction

In the Australian Curriculum, students become numerate as they develop the knowledge and skills to use mathematics confidently across other learning areas at school and in their lives more broadly. Numeracy involves students in recognising and understanding the role of mathematics in the world and having the dispositions and capacities to use mathematical knowledge and skills purposefully.

The Melbourne Declaration of Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA 2008) recognises that numeracy is an essential skill for students in becoming successful learners at school and in life beyond school, and in preparing them for their future roles as family, community and workforce members. More broadly, a numerate population is critical in ensuring the nation’s ongoing prosperity, productivity and workforce participation.

Scope of the Numeracy

Numeracy encompasses the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that students need to use mathematics in a wide range of situations. The Numeracy learning continuum identifies the related mathematical knowledge and skills, and contextualises these through learning area examples.

When teachers identify numeracy demands across the curriculum, students have opportunities to transfer their mathematical knowledge and skills to contexts outside the mathematics classroom. These opportunities assist students to recognise the interconnected nature of mathematical knowledge, other learning areas and the wider world, and encourage them to use their mathematical skills broadly.

For a description of the organising elements for Numeracy, go to Organising elements.

Numeracy across the curriculum

In the Australian Curriculum, much of the explicit teaching of numeracy skills occurs in Mathematics. Being numerate involves more than the application of routine procedures within the mathematics classroom. Students need to recognise that mathematics is constantly used outside the mathematics classroom and that numerate people apply general mathematical skills in a wide range of familiar and unfamiliar situations.

Using mathematical skills across the curriculum both enriches the study of other learning areas and contributes to the development of a broader and deeper understanding of numeracy. Therefore, a commitment to numeracy development is an essential component of learning areas across the curriculum and a responsibility for all teachers. This requires that teachers:

• identify the specific numeracy demands of their learning area

• provide learning experiences and opportunities that support the application of students’ general mathematical knowledge and skills

• use the language of numeracy in their teaching as appropriate.

Page 34 of 148

Teachers should be aware of the correct use of mathematical language in their own learning areas. Understanding mathematical terminology and the specific uses of language in mathematics is essential for numeracy.

The Numeracy capability is addressed through the learning areas and is identified wherever it is developed or applied in content descriptions. It is also identified where it offers opportunities to add depth and richness to student learning in content elaborations. An icon indicates where Numeracy has been identified in learning area content descriptions and elaborations. A filter function on the Australian Curriculum website assists users to find where Numeracy has been identified in F–10 curriculum content. Teachers may find further opportunities to incorporate explicit teaching of Numeracy depending on their choice of activities. Students can also be encouraged to develop capability through personally relevant initiatives of their own design.

• Numeracy in English (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/General-capabilities)

• Numeracy in Mathematics (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Mathematics/General-capabilities)

• Numeracy in Science (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Science/General-capabilities)

• Numeracy in History (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/History/General-capabilities)

Background

This background summarises the evidence base from which the Numeracy capability’s introduction, organising elements and learning continuum have been developed. It draws on recent international and national research, as well as initiatives and programs that focus on numeracy across the curriculum.

The identification of numeracy as a general capability or competence to be addressed across the curriculum is supported by the literature. In Australia, the National Numeracy Review Report (Commonwealth of Australia 2008) argued for an emphasis both on mathematics as a distinct area of study and numeracy as an across-the-curriculum competency. In order to develop the ability to communicate numeric information effectively, students should engage in learning that involves using mathematics in the context of other disciplines. This requires a cross-curricular commitment and is not just the responsibility of the Mathematics Department (Miller 2010).

The Numeracy capability and learning continuum have been informed by a range of findings identified in the literature over a considerable period of time. Steen (2001) pointed out the ever-increasing gap between the quantitative needs of citizens and their quantitative capacity, while Miller (2010) continues to argue that quantitative literacy is a proficiency that is essential for people to be able to participate fully in a democratic society. Most recently, concerns about low levels of financial literacy shown by young people in Australia prompted the development of a National Consumer and Financial Literacy Framework to support the development of financial literacy skills in young people (MCEECDYA 2011).

Page 35 of 148

The approach to the Numeracy capability, reflected in an optimal approach taken in schools, is informed by aspects of numeracy that were highlighted in the literature, including that:

• mathematics that people use in context is better understood than mathematics taught in isolation (Carraher, Carraher and Schliemann 1985; Zevenbergen and Zevenbergen 2009)

• knowledge is not automatically transferable from mathematics to other contexts (Lave 1988); numeracy requires contextual and strategic knowledge as well as mathematical skills (AAMT 1998)

• in numeracy there may be more than one suitable answer or method (Cohen 2001)

• numeracy moments often arise in unexpected situations (Thornton and Hogan 2005).

Page 36 of 148

References

Ahlgrim-Delzell, L., Knight, V., Jimenez, B. & Agnello, B., 2009, Research-Based Practices for Creating Access to the General Curriculum in Mathematics for Students with Significant Intellectual Disabilities, Chief Council of State School Officers, Washington, DC, www.ccsso.org/Documents/2009/Research_Based_Practices_Math_2009.pdf (accessed June 2012).

Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers 1998, Policy on Numeracy Education in Schools, AAMT, Adelaide.

Browder, M., Spooner, F.2011, Teaching Students with Moderate and Severe Disabilities, Guilford, New York.

Carraher, T., Carraher, D. & Schliemann, A. 1985, ‘Mathematics in the streets and in schools’, British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 3, pp. 21–29.

Cockcroft, W.H. 1982, The Cockcroft Report: mathematics counts, The History of Education in England: www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/cockcroft/ (accessed 2 November 2011).

Cohen, P. 2001, ‘The Emergence of Numeracy’, in Steen, L. (ed), Mathematics and Democracy: the case for quantitative literacy, National Council on Education and the Disciplines, USA.

Council of Australian Governments 2008, National Numeracy Review Report, Commonwealth of Australia, Barton, ACT.

Crowther, G. 1959, 15 to 18: A report of the Central Advisory Committee for Education (England), HMSO, London.

Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs 1997, Numeracy = Everyone’s Business: Report of the Numeracy Education Strategy Development Conference, AAMT, Adelaide.

Frankenstein, M. 2001, ‘To Read the World: goals for a critical mathematical literacy’, in Lee, B. & Spencer, T. (eds), Mathematics: Shaping Australia, Proceedings of the 18th Biennial Conference of the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers, AAMT, Adelaide.

Lave, J. 1988, Cognition in practice: Mind, mathematics and culture in everyday life, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Miller, J. 2010, ‘Quantitative Literacy Across the Curriculum: integrating skills from English composition, mathematics and the substantive disciplines’, The Educational Forum, October, vol. 74, no. 4.

Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs 2011, National Consumer and Financial Literacy Framework, MCEECDYA, Carlton South, Victoria.

Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training & Youth Affairs 2008, Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians: www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf (accessed 2 November 2011).

Page 37 of 148

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 2001, Knowledge and Skills for Life: first results from PISA 2000, p. 22, OECD, Paris.

Steen, L. 2001, ‘The Case for Quantitative Literacy’, in Steen, L. (ed), Mathematics and Democracy: the case for quantitative literacy, pp. 1–22, National Council on Education and the Disciplines, USA.

Thornton, S. & Hogan, J. 2005, ‘Mathematics for Everybody: implications for the lower secondary school’, in Coupland, M., Anderson, J. & Spencer, T. (eds), Making Mathematics Vital, Proceedings of the 20th Biennial Conference of the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers, pp. 243–252, AAMT, Adelaide.

Watson, J.M. & Callingham, R.A. 2003, ‘Statistical Literacy: a complex hierarchical construct’, Statistics Education Research Journal, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 3–46.

Willis, S. 1992, ‘Being Numerate: Whose right? Who’s left?’, Literacy and Numeracy Exchange, Autumn 1992.

Zevenbergen, R. & Zevenbergen, K. 2009, ‘The Numeracies of Boatbuilding: new numeracies shaped by workplace technologies’, International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 183–206.

Page 38 of 148

Organising elements

The Numeracy learning continuum is organised into six interrelated elements:

• Estimating and calculating with whole numbers • Recognising and using patterns and relationships • Using fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios and rates • Using spatial reasoning • Interpreting statistical information • Using measurement

These elements are drawn from the strands of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics as shown in the table below:

Numeracy Continuum Australian Curriculum: Mathematics

Estimating and calculating with whole numbers Number and Algebra Measurement and Geometry

Recognising and using patterns and relationships

Number and Algebra Statistics and Probability

Using fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios and rates

Number and Algebra Measurement and Geometry

Using spatial reasoning Measurement and Geometry

Interpreting statistical information Statistics and Probability

Using measurement Measurement and Geometry


Organising elements for Numeracy

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Estimating and calculating with whole numbers

This element involves students using numbers for different purposes. Students apply skills in estimating and calculating with whole numbers to solve and model everyday problems in a wide range of authentic contexts using efficient mental, written and digital strategies. They identify situations where money is used and apply their knowledge of the value of money to purchasing, budgeting and justifying the use of money. In developing and acting with numeracy, students:

• understand and use numbers in context • estimate and calculate • use money.


This element involves students identifying trends and describing and using a wide range of rules and relationships to continue and predict patterns. Students apply their understanding of patterns and relationships when solving problems in authentic contexts.


This element involves students developing an understanding of the meaning of fractions and decimals, their representations as ratios, rates and percentages, and how they can be applied in real-life situations. Students visualise, order and describe shapes and objects using their proportions and the relationships of ratios, rates and percentages to solve problems in authentic contexts. In developing and acting with numeracy, students:

• interpret proportional reasoning • apply proportional reasoning.

Using spatial reasoning

This element involves students in making sense of the space around them. Students visualise, identify and sort shapes and objects, describing their key features in the environment. They use symmetry, shapes and angles to solve problems in authentic contexts and interpret maps and diagrams, using scales, legends and directional language to identify and describe routes and locations. In developing and acting with numeracy, students:

• visualise 2D shapes and 3D objects • interpret maps and diagrams.

Interpreting statistical information

This element involves students gaining familiarity with the way statistical information is represented through solving problems in authentic contexts that involve collecting, recording, displaying, comparing and evaluating the effectiveness of data displays of various types. Students use appropriate language and numerical representations when explaining the outcomes of chance events. In developing and acting with numeracy, students:

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• interpret data displays • interpret chance events.

Using measurement This element involves students learning about measurement of length, area, volume, capacity, time and mass. Students estimate, measure, compare and calculate using metric units when solving problems in authentic contexts. They read clocks and convert between time systems, identify and sequence dates and events using a calendar and use timetables for a variety of purposes. In developing and acting with numeracy, students:

• estimate and measure with metric units • operate with clocks, calendars and timetables.

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Numeracy Learning Continuum

Estimating and calculating with whole numbers

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6

1a

1b

Typically by the end of Foundation Year, students

Typically by the end of Year 2, students





Understand and use numbers in context

demonstrate concepts of counting using every day experiences

connect and order number names, numerals and groups of objects using numbers up to two digits

model, represent, order and use numbers up to four digits

model, represent, order and use numbers up to five digits

identify, describe and use numbers larger than one million

compare, order and use positive and negative numbers to solve everyday problems

use different ways to represent very large and very small numbers including scientific notation

Examples

• showing anticipation that something will happen on the count of 1, 2, 3

Examples

• sorting numbered objects into ascending order or identifying how many members there are in the school sport’s team

Examples

• estimating growth of living things and representing prediction by making a chart

Examples

• estimating the quantity of supplies for the First Fleet

Examples

• estimating and comparing population growth of the twentieth century in different countries or states of Australia

Examples

• recording different boiling and freezing points in an experiment

Examples

• comparing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of nations or representation of atoms in different materials


Science ACSSU003

History ACHHS015

English ACELA1466


Science ACSIS038


Science ACSSU075

History ACHHS081


Science ACSSU078

History


Science ACSIS141

History


Science ACSSU184

History

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1a

1b







History ACHHS047 ACHHS116 ACDSEH071 ACDSEH147

Estimate and calculate

recognise the effects of adding to and taking away from a collection of objects

solve everyday addition and share stories

estimate the solution to a problem and then calculate the answer

estimate a solution to a problem and then check the solution by recalling addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts

solve problems and check calculations using efficient mental and written strategies

solve complex problems by estimating and calculating using efficient mental, written and digital strategies

solve and model problems involving complex data by estimating and calculating using a variety of efficient mental, written and digital strategies

Examples

• recognising that a pile of books gets bigger when adding to it

Examples

• modelling a number story on a favourite book or multimedia presentation

Examples

• calculating the total for two purchases at the school canteen

Examples

• calculating the difference between the number of convicts who left Britain on the First Fleet and the number who arrived in Australia

Examples

• measuring and estimating the growth of plants

Examples

• calculating the running costs of a range of household appliances with different energy ratings

Examples

• using statistics to predict trends such as the use of social media in different age groups







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1a

1b







Use money

identify situations that involve the use of money

recognise the different value of coins and notes in the Australian monetary system

identify and use combinations of coins and notes for simple purchases

estimate the change from simple purchases

create simple financial plans, budgets and cost predictions

identify and justify ‘best value for money’ decisions

evaluate financial plans to support specific financial goals

Examples

• using pictures of the local community to identify places where money can be used

Examples

• naming the value of different coins and notes

Examples

• selecting the right money to buy lunch from the school canteen

Examples

• working out change from $5 when buying a drink

Examples

• creating a simple budget for a birthday party for 10 friends

Examples

• comparing different phone plans and presenting a reason for purchasing the chosen plan

Examples

• developing a budget/ financial plan to save for a desired item taking into account the interest earned









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1a

1b







Recognise and use patterns and relationships

recognise simple patterns in everyday contexts

describe and continue patterns

identify, describe and create everyday patterns

identify and describe trends in everyday patterns

identify and describe pattern rules and relationships that help to identify trends

identify trends using number rules and relationships

explain how the practical application of patterns can be used to identify trends

Examples

• recognising patterns in games, music, artwork

Examples

• continuing simple patterns using different colours or repeating a pattern in music

Examples

• creating a pattern based on the petal structure of a flower

Examples

• creating a pattern that could be used to produce a mosaic

Examples

• survey dates in a local cemetery to find clues about patterns of settlement

Examples

• using fuel consumptions vs. distance data to determine patterns of a vehicle’s fuel consumption

Examples

• using mobile phone bills to identify usage trends

English ACELT1579


Science ACSSU004

History ACHHK001

English ACELT1592


Science ACSSU019

History ACHHS047


Science ACSHE061

History ACHHS081


Science ACSIS107

History ACHHS117

Science ACSIS145

History ACHHS148


Science ACSIS169

History ACDSEH145

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1a

1b







Interpret proportional reasoning

recognise a ‘whole’ and ‘parts of a whole’ within everyday contexts

recognise that a whole object can be divided into equal parts

visualise and describe halves and quarters

visualise, describe and order tenths, hundredths, 1-place and 2-place decimals

visualise, describe and order equivalent fractions, decimals and simple percentages

visualise and describe the proportions of percentages, ratios and rates

illustrate and order relationships for fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios and rates

Examples

• separating objects or dividing materials into non-equal parts

Examples

• fold or cut a shape into equal parts

Examples

• cutting an item of food in half and then half again

Examples

• putting the amounts of money raised by different classes in a school fundraiser into order

Examples

• explaining how to make a drink using 20% fruit, 30% lemonade and 50% fruit juice

Examples

• explaining the sizes of different cultural groups as proportions of the population of the local community

Examples

• calculating and plotting the savings made on a variable interest rate mortgage for the past 5 years






Apply proportional reasoning

Level 1b is the starting point for this sub-element

identify quantities such as more, less and the same in everyday comparisons

solve problems using halves and quarters

solve problems using equivalent fractions for tenths, hundredths, 1-place and 2-place decimals

solve problems using equivalent fractions, decimals and simple percentages

solve problems using simple percentages, ratios and rates

solve problems involving fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios and rates

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1a

1b







Examples

• pouring a liquid equally into two containers or identifying that one storage container is larger than another

Examples

• using kitchen measuring equipment to show 2 half cup measures can be used instead of a 1 cup measure

Examples

• finding the time difference between the fastest and slowest times for a class Beep test

Examples

• using migration statistics to show which 50-year period in Australia’s history had the largest percentage of growth

Examples

• comparing and contrasting trends in migration from Asian countries to Australia since World War II

Examples

• using proportional reasoning to assess the impact of changes in society and significant events, for example population loss from the 1919 influenza epidemic







Using spatial reasoning


1a

1b







Visualise 2D shapes and 3D objects

sort or match objects sort and name simple identify, sort and visualise, sort, identify visualise, sort, visualise, describe visualise, describe

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1a

1b







according to their features

2D shapes and 3D objects

describe common 2D shapes and 3D objects

and describe symmetry, shapes and angles in the environment

describe and compare the features of objects such as prisms and pyramids in the environment

and apply their understanding of the features and properties of 2D shapes and 3D objects

and analyse the way shapes and objects are combined and positioned in the environment for different purposes

Examples

• sorting objects by features of shape, size, colour and function

Examples

• grouping 2D shapes and 3D objects by their features, colour and materials

Examples

• creating a structure using a variety of shapes

Examples

• recording the angles of the shots hit by a batsman in a cricket match

Examples

• explaining why some angles are used more frequently in built environments than others

Examples

• identifying and explaining key features of architecture in Qing China

Examples

• explaining how the design of buildings in the local community reflect their use

creating a structure using a variety of shapes


Science ACSSU003


Science ACSIS038

English ACELA1483


Science ACSSU048


Science ACSSU078



Interpret maps and diagrams

demonstrate awareness of position of self and objects in relation to everyday contexts

follow directions to demonstrate understanding of common position words and

give and follow directions on maps and diagrams of familiar locations

interpret information, locate positions and describe routes on maps and diagrams using simple scales, legends and

identify and describe routes and locations, using grid reference systems and directional language such as north or north

create and interpret 2D and 3D maps, models and diagrams

create and interpret maps, models and diagrams using a range of mapping tools

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1a

1b







movements directional language east

Examples

• following actions to a song or dance

Examples

• using a diagram or picture as a guide to building a model

Examples

• using the language of position and movement to direct a friend to a new location

Examples

• creating and labelling a diagram showing the location of historical features in the local community

Examples

• using a street map to describe how to locate a friend’s house

Examples

• creating a map showing the expansion of the Mongol Empire across Europe and Asia

Examples

• using digital mapping tools to show the movement of people in the transatlantic slave trade or convict transportation to Australia



Science ACSSU033

History ACHHK045


History ACHHK078

English ACELA1524


Science ACSSU096

History ACHHK094

History ACDSEH078 Science ACSSU190

History ACDSEH018

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Interpreting statistical information


1a

1b







Interpret data displays

display information using real objects or photographs and respond to questions about the information displayed

recognise how to ask and answer simple data questions and interpret data in drawings or picture graphs

collect and describe data on a relevant issue based on one variable and display as lists, tables or picture graphs

collect record and display data as tables, diagrams, picture graphs and column graphs

collect, compare, describe and interpret data as 2-way tables, double column graphs and sector graphs, including from digital media

compare, interpret and assess the effectiveness of different data displays of the same information

evaluate media statistics and trends by linking claims to data displays, statistics and representative data

Examples

• displaying the most popular activity in the class using photographs

Examples

• asking class members which football team they support and recording this information using the team logos

Examples

• construct column graphs and picture graphs to represent the amount of water wasted by a dripping tap over a week

Examples

• presenting evidence about the foods eaten by animals in a column graph

Examples

• comparing and discussing line graphs about pulse rates when at rest and after activity

Examples

• using secondary data to investigate changes in the mean and median rainfalls and water consumption in different locations

• choosing the most effective data display to compare mean and median rainfalls and water consumption in different locations and justifying

Examples

• using bar graphs to compare food rations from World War II with their own food consumption

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1a

1b







choice of display


Science ACSIS014

History ACHHK001


Science ACSIS040

History ACHHS036


Science ACSIS068

History ACHHS087


Science ACSIS107

History ACHHS125


Science ACSIS146

History ACHHS153


Science ACSIS206

History ACHHS189

Interpret chance events

Level 1b is the starting point for this sub-element

recognise that some events might or might not happen

identify and describe familiar events that involve chance

describe possible outcomes from chance experiments using informal chance language and recognising variations in results

describe chance events and compare observed outcomes with predictions using numerical representations such as a 75% chance of rain or 50/50 chance of snow

describe and explain why the actual results of chance events are not always the same as expected results

explain the likelihood of multiple events occurring together by giving examples of situations when they might happen

Example

• recognising that it might or might not rain tomorrow

Examples

• discussing and using the language of chance to describe the likelihood of events such as ‘will’,

Examples

• understanding and using terms denoting the likelihood of events, including colloquial terms

Examples

• comparing and discussing the difference between predicted data and evidence when explaining

Examples

• predicting and comparing the outcomes of plant-cloning techniques in agriculture

Examples

• rolling two die and determining the probability of both displaying the same numbered face

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1a

1b







‘won’t’ and ‘might’ such as ‘no way’, ‘for sure’

the outcomes of an investigation

Mathematics

ACMSP024

Science ACSIS212

Mathematics

ACMSP067

Science ACSIS216

Mathematics

ACMSP146

Science ACSHE098

Mathematics

ACMSP205

Science ACSIS141

Mathematics

ACMSP225

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Using measurement


1a

1b







Estimate and measure with metric units

use informal language and/or actions to describe characteristics of length, temperature, mass, volume, capacity and area in familiar environments

measure by comparing objects and indicate if these measurements are the same or different

estimate, measure and order using direct and indirect comparisons and informal units to collect and record information about shapes and objects

estimate, measure and compare the length, temperature, volume, capacity and mass of everyday objects using metric units and scaled instruments

choose and use appropriate metric units for length, area, volume, capacity and mass to solve everyday problems

convert between common metric units for volume and capacity and use perimeter, area and volume formulas to solve authentic problems

solve complex problems involving surface area and volume of prisms and cylinders and composite solids

Examples

• using hand gestures to describe the length of an object

Examples

• comparing the length of two objects and indicating which one is longer

Examples

• using informal measures to record observations, compare masses of objects using a balance scale, measure the heights of plants in hand spans

Examples

• using a thermometer to measure heating and cooling and recording results to the nearest half unit

Examples

• using measurements from maps, plans and other sources to describe historical buildings and the layout of settlements

Examples

• estimating and working out the area of a vegetable garden in square metres and calculating how much sugarcane mulch to buy to cover it

Examples

• working out how much space is taken up by kitchen cupboards in a kitchen design and the area of remaining walls that will need to be painted

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1a

1b







Mathematics

ACMMG006

Mathematics

ACMMG037

Science ACSIS039

Mathematics

ACMMG084

Science ACSIS066

Mathematics

ACMMG137

Science ACSIS104

Mathematics

ACMMG195

Science ACSIS141

Mathematics

ACMMG242

Science ACSIS200

Operate with clocks, calendars and timetables

sequence familiar actions and events in a variety of ways

sequence familiar actions and events using the everyday language of time

read digital and analogue clocks to the half and quarter hour, sequence events by months and seasons and identify a date on a calendar

read digital and analogue clocks to the minute, convert between hours and minutes, use 'am' and 'pm', and use calendars to locate and compare time events

convert between 12- and 24-hour systems to solve time problems, interpret and use timetables from print and digital sources

use 12- and 24-hour systems within a single time zone to solve time problems, and place personal and family events on an extended time scale

use 12- and 24-hour systems within a multiple time zone to solve time problems, use large and small timescales in complex contexts and place historical and scientific events on an extended time scale

Examples

• associating familiar activities with times of the day or days of the week using pictorial, written or

Examples

• retelling a familiar story or sorting pictures from a familiar event into time order

Examples

• developing a list for celebrating class birthdays

Examples

• calculating how many hours are spent at school in the month of July

Examples

• working out how long it would take to get from home to the airport by bus or train

Examples

• recording the correct time when creating a new event in a social media website

Examples

• calculating the correct time differences before phoning an overseas friend

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1a

1b







technology formats

English ACELT1580

Mathematics

ACMMG007

Science ACSSU004

History ACHHS015

English ACELY1671

Mathematics

ACMMG041

Science ACSSU019

History ACHHK029

Mathematics

ACMMG086

Science ACSSU048

History ACHHS081

Mathematics

ACMMG139

Science ACSSU096

History ACHHS117

Mathematics

ACMNA199

Science ACSSU115

History ACHHS148


Science ACSSU185

History ACHHS182

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Information and communication technology (ICT) capability

Introduction

In the Australian Curriculum, students develop ICT capability as they learn to use ICT effectively and appropriately to access, create and communicate information and ideas, solve problems and work collaboratively in all learning areas at school, and in their lives beyond school. The capability involves students in learning to make the most of the digital technologies available to them, adapting to new ways of doing things as technologies evolve and limiting the risks to themselves and others in a digital environment.

The Melbourne Declaration on the Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA 2008) recognises that in a digital age, and with rapid and continuing changes in the ways that people share, use, develop and communicate with ICT, young people need to be highly skilled in its use. To participate in a knowledge-based economy and to be empowered within a technologically sophisticated society now and into the future, students need the knowledge, skills and confidence to make ICT work for them at school, at home, at work and in their communities.

Information and communication technologies are fast and automated, interactive and multimodal, and they support the rapid communication and representation of knowledge to many audiences and its adaptation in different contexts. They transform the ways that students think and learn and give them greater control over how, where and when they learn.

Scope of ICT capability

The nature and scope of ICT capability is not fixed, but is responsive to ongoing technological developments. This is evident in the emergence of advanced internet technology over the past few years and the resulting changes in the ways that students construct knowledge and interact with others.

Students develop capability in using ICT for tasks associated with information access and management, information creation and presentation, problem solving, decision making, communication, creative expression, and empirical reasoning. This includes conducting research, creating multimedia information products, analysing data, designing solutions to problems, controlling processes and devices, and supporting computation while working independently and in collaboration with others.

Students develop knowledge, skills and dispositions around ICT and its use, and the ability to transfer these across environments and applications. They learn to use ICT with confidence, care and consideration, understanding its possibilities, limitations and impact on individuals, groups and communities.

For a description of the organising elements for ICT capability, go to Organising elements.

ICT capability across the curriculum

ICT capability supports and enhances student learning across all areas of the curriculum. Students develop and apply ICT knowledge, skills and appropriate social and ethical

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protocols and practices to investigate, create and communicate, as well as developing their ability to manage and operate ICT to meet their learning needs.

Learning areas provide the content and contexts within which students develop and apply the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that comprise ICT capability.

ICT capability and the Technologies learning area

Information and communication technology is represented in two ways in the Australian Curriculum: through the ICT capability that applies across all learning areas and within the Technologies curriculum through Digital technologies. The ICT capability will be reviewed (and revised if necessary) to ensure that there is consistency with the Technologies curriculum following its development.

The ICT capability is addressed through the learning areas and is identified wherever it is developed or applied in content descriptions. It is also identified where it offers opportunities to add depth and richness to student learning in content elaborations. An icon indicates where ICT capability has been identified in learning area content descriptions and elaborations. A filter function on the Australian Curriculum website assists users to find where ICT capability has been identified in F–10 curriculum content. Teachers may find further opportunities to incorporate explicit teaching of ICT capability depending on their choice of activities. Students can also be encouraged to develop capability through personally relevant initiatives of their own design.

• Information and communication technology in English (http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/General-capabilities)

• Information and communication technology in Mathematics (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Mathematics/General-capabilities)

• Information and communication technology in Science (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Science/General-capabilities)

• Information and communication technology in History (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/History/General-capabilities)

Background

This background summarises the evidence base from which the ICT capability’s introduction, organising elements and learning continuum have been developed. It draws on recent international and national research, as well as initiatives and programs that focus on ICT across the curriculum.

ICT capability is based on sets of relevant knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions. Internationally, such capability is typically represented developmentally across interrelated domains or elements to show increasingly sophisticated experiences with the technology. For example, the ICT curriculum for England presents ‘lines of progression’ in strands and sub-strands. The National Education Technology Standards (NETS) for students provided by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) represent capability with six sets of standards. In Australia, the Statements of Learning for ICT were presented as five broadly defined conceptual organisers, representing key aspects of ICT that apply across

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the curriculum. The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) has also identified a progression in research associated with the National Assessment Program – ICT Literacy.

Early researchers into ICT in education, such as Papert (1980) and Turkle (1984), considered that students constructed reality from experience and prior knowledge. The student interacts with the environment and, to cope with this environment, develops a conceptual framework to explain the interaction.

More recent theorists, such as Dede (2009), echo these earlier propositions even as technologies evolve, giving rise to the set of constructs upon which the ICT capability is based. In particular, the overarching element Applying social and ethical protocols and practices when using ICT addresses the personal, social and cultural contexts introduced by theorists such as Papert and Turkle.

ICT capability is based on the assumption that technologies are digital tools that enable the student to solve problems and carry out tasks. That is, the ICT system needs to suit the student and the task, while the student needs to develop an understanding of what the machine can do and an appreciation of the limitations under which it operates. In this way, students come to perceive ICT systems as useful tools rather than feeling that they themselves are the tools of the machine (Maas 1983). The latter often occurs when users have little information about how ICT systems operate and simply follow set, standard procedures, determined for them by the system.

Therefore, the ICT capability needs to take account of the types of tasks that provide authentic contexts for learning. The range of tasks is categorised into three sets: Investigating with ICT, Communicating with ICT and Creating with ICT. Students also need the knowledge and skills to use ICT based on an understanding of the ‘nature of the machine’. This is encompassed in the Managing and operating ICT element of the continuum.

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References

Curriculum Corporation (2006), Statements of Learning for Information and Communication Technologies, (ICT) www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/SOL06_ICT.pdf, (accessed 14 October, 2011)

Dede, C. 2009, Comparing Frameworks for ‘21st Century Skills’: www.watertown.k12.ma.us/dept/ed_tech/research/pdf/ChrisDede.pdf (accessed 14 October 2011).

Department for Education 2011, The National Strategies: http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/16087 (accessed 14 October 2011).

Department for Education and Employment/Qualifications and Curriculum Authority 1999, Information and Communication Technology – The National Curriculum for England: http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/uploads/ICT%201999%20programme%20of%20study_tcm8-12058.pdf (accessed 14 October 2011).

International Society for Technology in Education 2007, Profiles for Technology (ICT) Literate Students: www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS-S_2007_Student_Profiles_EN.sflb.ashx (accessed 14 October 2011).

International Society for Technology in Education 2007, National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) and Performance Indicators for Students: www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students.aspx (accessed 14 October 2011).

Maas, S. (1983). Why systems transparency? In T. R. G. Green, S. J. Payne, & G. C. van der Veer (Eds.), Psychology of computer use (pp. 19-28). London: Academic Press.

Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs 2007, National Assessment Program – ICT Literacy: Years 6 and 10 Report 2005, Curriculum Corporation, Carlton South, Melbourne.

Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs 2010, National Assessment Program – ICT Literacy: Years 6 and 10 Report 2008, Curriculum Corporation, Carlton South, Melbourne.

Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training & Youth Affairs 2008, Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians: www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf (accessed 14 October 2011).

Papert, S. 1980, Mindstorms: Children, Computers and Powerful Ideas, Harvester Press, New York.

Turkle, S. 1984, The Second Self: Computers and the Human Spirit, Simon & Schuster, New York.

WestEd 2009, Technological Literacy Framework for the 2012 National Assessment of Educational Progress, WestEd, San Francisco, CA.

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Organising elements

The ICT capability learning continuum is organised into five interrelated elements:

• Applying social and ethical protocols and practices when using ICT • Investigating with ICT • Creating with ICT • Communicating with ICT • Managing and operating ICT


Organising elements for ICT capability

Applying social and ethical protocols and practices when using ICT

This element involves students in developing an understanding of intellectual property for digital information, and applying appropriate practices to recognise the intellectual property of themselves and others. Students use appropriate practices for the physical and logical storage and security of digital information, and apply appropriate protocols when using ICT to safely create, communicate or share information. They gain an understanding of the benefits and consequences of the use of ICT by individuals, groups and communities and the impact of the use of ICT on the fabric of society. In developing and acting with information and communication technology capability, students:

• recognise intellectual property

• apply digital information security practices

• apply personal security protocols

• identify the impacts of ICT in society.

Investigating with ICT

This element involves students in using ICT to define and plan information searches of a range of primary and secondary sources when investigating questions, topics or problems. Students use ICT to locate, access, generate, organise and/or analyse data and information

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and apply criteria to verify the integrity and value of the digital data, information and sources. In developing and acting with information and communication technology capability, students:

• define and plan information searches • locate, generate and access data and information • select and evaluate data and information.

Creating with ICT

This element involves students in using ICT to generate ideas, plans and processes that clarify a task or steps in order to respond to questions, realise creative intentions and create solutions to challenges and tasks. Students use ICT to generate and manage digital solutions to challenges arising from learning activities or responding to a need or creative intention. In developing and acting with information and communication technology capability, students:

• generate ideas, plans and processes • generate solutions to challenges and learning area tasks.

Communicating with ICT

This element involves students in using ICT to communicate and share ideas and information to collaboratively construct knowledge and digital solutions. Students develop an understanding of the context when communicating using ICT, including a sense of the audience, the form of communication, the techniques used and the characteristics of the users and the technologies. In developing and acting with information and communication technology capability, students:

• collaborate, share and exchange • understand computer mediated communications.

Managing and operating ICT

This element involves students applying technical knowledge and skills to select, use and troubleshoot appropriate digital technologies when investigating, creating and communicating. Students develop an understanding of hardware and software components, and operations of appropriate ICT systems, including their functions, processes, procedures and devices. They apply technical knowledge and skills to efficiently and securely manage and maintain digital data. In developing and acting with information and communication technology capability, students:

• select and use hardware and software • understand ICT systems • manage digital data.

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Information and Communication Technology Capability Learning Continuum

Applying social and ethical protocols and practices when using ICT








Recognise intellectual property

recognise ownership over their own digital work

recognise ownership of digital products that others produce and that what they create or provide can be used or misused by others

acknowledge when they use digital products created by someone else, and start to indicate the source

identify the legal obligations regarding the ownership and use of digital products and apply some referencing conventions

apply practices that comply with legal obligations regarding the ownership and use of digital products resources

identify and describe ethical dilemmas and consciously apply practices that protect intellectual property

Examples

• recognising that they own text, photos and videos they produce

Examples

• understanding that they should not copy someone else’s work without getting permission

Examples

• explaining where an image was sourced

Examples

• listing all sources, authors names and URLs of information they use

Examples

• naming sources, avoiding plagiarism, knowing what may or may not be copied, checking for permissions and legal obligations before publishing of work

Examples

• understanding that pirating denies musicians payment for their work, understanding Creative Commons licensing

Apply digital information security practices

follow class rules about using digital information

follow class rules about applying selected standard guidelines and techniques

independently apply standard guidelines and techniques for particular

independently apply strategies for determining and protecting the security

independently apply strategies for determining the appropriate type of

use a range of strategies for securing and protecting information, assess the

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to secure digital information

digital systems to secure digital information

of digital information and assess the risks associated with online environments

digital information suited to the location of storage and adequate security for online environments

risks associated with online environments and establish appropriate security strategies and codes of conduct

Examples

• participating in a class discussion about why personal information should not be used online

Examples

• recognising that when logging onto the network they are only able to access their own folders or accounts

• only logging on to class computer with their own username and password

Examples

• saving to their own folder or device, logging on to server and email using a personal password

Examples

• checking whether a friend can access the information, checking whether someone else can find the web link to their online posts, using non-predictable user names and passwords

Examples

• not storing private information on public online sites, setting user access and privacy parameters

Examples

• using complex security settings for online sites; varying password structures; separating information with folders or sites and understanding how to modify default parameters within social networking sites

Apply personal security protocols

follow class rules when sharing personal information with known audiences and demonstrate an awareness of applying social protocols when using ICT to communicate

follow class guidelines when sharing personal information and apply basic social protocols when using ICT to communicate with known audiences

apply standard guidelines and take action to avoid the common dangers to personal security when using ICT and apply appropriate basic social protocols when using ICT to communicate with unknown audiences

identify the risks to identity, privacy and emotional safety for themselves when using ICT and apply generally accepted social protocols when sharing information in online environments, taking into account different social and cultural

identify and value the rights to identity, privacy and emotional safety for themselves and others when using ICT and apply generally accepted social protocols when using ICT to collaborate with local and global communities

independently apply appropriate strategies to protect rights, identity, privacy and emotional safety of others when using ICT, and discriminate between protocols suitable for different communication tools when collaborating

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contexts with local and global communities

Examples

• making a digital recording about their family that does not offend or upset the viewer

Examples

• messaging only to people they know, only allowing certain people to access their online space; keeping passwords secret; addressing recipients appropriately in emails, videos or posts

Examples

• sharing personal photographs only in appropriate environments; using polite but impersonal language in posted messages; recognising forms of cyber bullying

Examples

• understanding the dangers of providing personal information; recognising and reporting cyber bullying; only posting a photo with the owner’s permission; not revealing details of identity; avoiding language offensive to particular groups of people; actively avoiding incidences of cyber bullying

Examples

• forwarding personal communications from friends only with permission; being aware of time zones and differences in meaning of terms and concepts due to location and culture; using the bcc email field; recognising when others are being cyber bullied

Examples

• analysing possible consequences of posting personal information on social networking sites; taking responsibility for the effect of their communications on other people; using appropriate salutations; adjusting length and formality of message to suit form of communication; independently employing anti-cyber bullying strategies

Identify the impacts of ICT in society

identify how they use ICT in multiple ways on multiple devices

identify how ICT is used at home and at school

identify the value and role of ICT use at home and school

explain the main uses of ICT at school, home and in the local community, and recognise its potential positive and negative impacts on their lives

explain the benefits and risks of the use of ICT for particular people in work and home environments

assess the impact of ICT in the workplace and in society, and speculate on its role in the future and how they can influence its use

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Examples

• taking a photo or playing a digital game with a phone, using a simulation or reading an online book on a tablet

Examples

• identifying how ICT is used in personal communicating, shopping, banking, finding information, keeping class information, online lunch ordering

Examples

• valuing ICT as a quick method to find information; playing games with friends; taking virtual tours; observing events in real time

Examples

• ordering food from restaurants using a mobile devices, or scanning QR codes to access information

Examples

• explaining that Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) allows people to stay in touch, some people’s jobs are replaced by computers, worker productivity may increase when computers are used

Examples

• recognising the potential of enhanced inclusivity for people with disability through ICT, the digital divide, new types of work, globalisation

Mathematics ACMSP148 English ACELA1528


English ACELA1551

Science ACSHE158

Investigating with ICT








Define and plan information searches

use ICT to identify where information is located

use ICT to identify, record and classify textual and graphic information to show what is known and

use ICT to plan an information search or generation of information, recognising some pattern

use a range of ICT to identify and represent patterns in sets of information and to pose

use a range of ICT to analyse information in terms of implicit patterns and structures as a basis

select and use a range of ICT independently and collaboratively, analyse information to frame

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what needs to be investigated

within the information, questions to guide searching for, or generating, further information

to plan an information search or generation

questions and plan search strategies or data generation

Examples

• using icon based programs to locate information

Examples

• using colour coding and drawing software to show steps in a sequence

Examples

• listing what information is required and suggesting where it may be located, creating methods of recording data from experiments

Examples

• using tables, charts and graphic organisers such as concept maps

Examples

• using graphic organisers to plan a search with links to sources

Examples

• using wikis or other shared documents; searching databases


Science ACSIS039

History ACHHK044


Science ACSIS054

History ACHHS068

English ACELY1712

MathematicsACMSP119

Science ACSIS086

History ACHHS120


Science ACSIS125

History ACHHS208

Science ACSIS165

History ACHHS168

Locate, generate and access data and information

use icons to locate or generate required information

locate information from a given set of digital sources

locate, retrieve or generate information from a range of digital sources

locate, retrieve or generate information using search engines and simple search functions and classify information in meaningful ways

locate, retrieve or generate information using search facilities and organise information in meaningful ways

use advanced search tools and techniques or simulations and digital models to locate or generate precise data and information that supports the development of new

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understandings

Example

• making choices from icon-based menus

Examples

• locating information following hyperlinks; printing pages; copying and pasting text and images; experimenting in a simulation environment to test decisions

Examples

• locating information by typing in simple URLs; saving text and images; collecting data from a simulation environment

Examples

• searching and locating files within school directory; searching across web or within site; organising in folders, tables or databases, using simulations to generate and organise information on real world problems

Examples

• searching within document – find/search/buttons/tabs; using search strings; accessing primary data through online or local equipment; using simulation tools to test hypotheses to problems

Examples

• using logical statements such as true/false; searching within fields or for data type; using data logger equipment, digital microscope; using digital models to test and adjust hypotheses to problems

English ACELY1649 English ACELY1660


Science ACSIS026

History ACHHK044

English ACELA1793


Science ACSIS066

History ACHHS078

EnglishACELY17123


Science ACSIS104

History ACHHS101

English ACELY1733


Science ACSIS129

History ACHHS208


Science ACSIS199

History ACHHS186

Select and evaluate data and information

explain how located data or information was used

explain the usefulness of located data or information

explain why located data or information was selected

assess the suitability of data or information using a range of appropriate given

assess the suitability of data or information using appropriate own criteria

develop and use criteria systematically to evaluate the quality, suitability and credibility of located data

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criteria or information and sources

Example

• explaining how digital information was used in an activity

Examples

• explaining how digital information answers a question

Examples

• explaining why a source of digital information was used or trusted in preference to another

Examples

• selecting the most useful/reliable/relevant digital resource from a set of three or four alternatives

Examples

• applying criteria developed for an enquiry or project; considering the adequacy of source of information

Examples

• comparing objective data from multiple digital sources to evaluate the likely credibility of the information provided

English ACELA1793


History ACHHS068

English ACELY1704


Science ACSIS087

History ACHHS116

English ACELY1734

Science ACSIS125

History ACDSEH030


Science ACSIS165

History ACHHS187

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Creating with ICT








Generate ideas, plans and processes

use ICT to follow or contribute to a simple plan for a solution

use ICT to prepare simple plans to find solutions or answers to questions

use ICT to generate ideas and plan solutions

use ICT effectively to record ideas, represent thinking and plan solutions

use appropriate ICT to collaboratively generate ideas and develop plans

select and use ICT to articulate ideas and concepts, and plan the development of complex solutions

Examples

• using online and multimedia short sequence of instructions; contributing to a class digital product plan

Examples

• drawing simple mind maps using conceptual mapping software; using drawing software to show steps in a sequence

Examples

• using tables, photos and sketches in planning documents

Examples

• using timeline software to plan processes; using concept mapping and brainstorming software to generate key ideas; using graphic and audio visual software to record ideas

Examples

• sharing documents including text, graphics and numbers

Examples

• using software to create hyperlinks, tables and charts; using design and project planning software


Science ACSIS054

History ACHHK078

English ACELY1704


Science ACSIS086

English ACELY1720


Science ACSIS144

English ACELY1751

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Generate solutions to challenges and learning area tasks

use ICT as a creative tool to generate simple solutions, modifications or data representations for personal or school purposes

experiment with ICT as a creative tool to generate simple solutions, modifications or data representations for particular audiences or purposes

create and modify simple digital solutions, creative outputs or data representation/transformation for particular purposes

independently or collaboratively create and modify digital solutions, creative outputs or data representation/transformation for particular audiences and purposes

design and modify simple digital solutions, or multimodal creative outputs or data transformations for particular audiences and purposes following recognised conventions

Design, modify and manage complex digital solutions, or multimodal creative outputs or data transformations for a range of audiences and purposes

Examples

• using appropriate software to enter text, images, audio and numbers; editing a class-created digital product; representing a data set in a digital product

Examples

• using the basic functionality of selected software to manipulate text, images, audio and numbers; representing data numerically or graphically; editing own work and that of others

Examples

• editing text, images, audio, and video for presentations and story-telling; transforming data between numerical and graphical digital representation; applying editing strategies

Examples

• manipulating and combining images, text, video and sound for presentations; creating podcasts; applying purposeful editing and refining processes

Examples

• creating movies, animations, websites and music; programming games; using spread sheets; managing and editing original source materials

Examples

• modelling solutions in spread sheets, creating movies, animations, websites and music; programming games; using databases; creating web pages for visually impaired users; using advanced functions to manage and edit digital products for desired effects

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English ACELY1651

History ACHHS022

English ACELY1664


History ACHHS054

English ACELY1685


History ACHHS071

English ACELT1618


Science ACSIS090

History ACHHS106

English ACELY1728


Science ACSIS129

History ACHHS214

English ACELT1773


Science ACSIS203

History ACHHS193

Communicating with ICT








Collaborate, share and exchange

use purposefully selected ICT tools safely to view information shared by trusted adults

use purposefully selected ICT tools safely to share and exchange information with appropriate local audiences

use appropriate ICT tools safely to share and exchange information with appropriate known audiences

select and use appropriate ICT tools safely to share and exchange information and to safely collaborate with others

select and use appropriate ICT tools safely to lead groups in sharing and exchanging information, and taking part in online projects or active collaborations with appropriate global audiences

select and use a range of ICT tools efficiently and safely to share and exchange information, and to collaboratively and purposefully construct knowledge

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Examples

• viewing information placed on a secure site by the teacher

Examples

• using class online discussion board or blog to read and post electronic messages; composing a message and sending it with support

Examples

• using emails and online discussion boards to read and post electronic messages

Examples

• contributing to the content of a wiki; blogging and posting to bulletin boards

Examples

• setting up a wiki or blog for an associated user group

Examples

• using online applications and management tools for collaborative projects such as online portals, wikis; using common social networking tools for strategic purposes

English ACELY1580

History ACHHS022

English ACELY1664

History ACHHS038

English ACELT1794

History ACHHS087

EnglishACELY1711

Science ACSIS107

History ACHHS125

English ACELA1528

Science ACSIS133

History ACHHS157

Science ACSIS174

History ACHHS175

Understand computer mediated communications

understand that messages are recorded, viewed or sent in computer mediated communications for others to receive

understand that computer mediated communications may be received later by the receiver

understand that computer mediated communications are directed to an audience for a purpose

understand that particular forms of computer mediated communications and tools are suited to synchronous or asynchronous and one-to-one or group communications

understand that there are various methods of collaboration through computer mediated communications that vary in form and control

understand that computer mediated communications have advantages and disadvantages in supporting active participation in a community of practice and the management of collaboration on digital materials

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Examples

• understanding that a response to a question on an online environment will be received by the teacher

Examples

• understanding that a communication on a blog may be viewed later by other students

Examples

• understanding that a text message may be sent to one or more persons

Examples

• understanding differences in the characteristics, features and use of Skype compared with blogs or wikis

Examples

• understanding the characteristics, features and use of electronic learning environments for collaborating

Examples

• understanding the advantages and disadvantages of using websites and online environments for managing collaboration

English ACELY1784 English ACELY1671 English ACELY16942 English ACELT1618

Science ACSIS110

History ACHHS106

English ACELY1808

Science ACSIS148

Science ACSIS208

Managing and operating ICT








Select and use hardware and software

identify and safely operate ICT systems to complete relevant simple specified tasks and seek help when

identify and safely operate a selected range of appropriate devices, software, functions and commands when

identify and independently operate a range of devices, software, functions and commands, taking into consideration

select from, and safely operate, a range of devices to undertake specific tasks and use basic troubleshooting

independently select and operate a range of devices by adjusting relevant software functions to suit specific tasks, and

justify the selection of, and optimise the operation of, a selected range of devices and software functions to complete

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encountering a problem operating an ICT system and attempt to solve a problem before seeking help

ergonomics when operating appropriate ICT systems, and seek solutions when encountering a problem

procedures to solve routine malfunctions

independently use common troubleshooting procedures to solve routine malfunctions

specific tasks, for different purposes and in different social contexts

Examples

• selecting and using a camera to take a photograph or using a printer to print a picture, using a tablet, notebook or desktop computer to read a book or draw a picture; knowing when something has not worked as expected and seeking help

Examples

• using page layout software for posters, using a mouse, USB flash drive, printer, digital camera, or robot supervised by the teacher; taking initial steps in coping with the unexpected and then seeking help

Examples

• using a camera, a microphone and slideshow software to create a presentation, adjusting the placement and orientation of the mouse, keyboard and screen to ensure ease and comfort when using; attempting to resolve a technical problem

Examples

• selecting specific graphics software or graphic tools in word processors, using printer queues, file servers, scanners, probes, digital cameras

Examples

• selecting a spread sheet to model a budget or a fast processor to edit movies, adjusting digital camera settings, creating shortcuts

Examples

• selecting an appropriate option for creating a website such as an online tool or an HTML editor, altering toolbars, sorting and layout functions; using duplex printing; setting proxies; using filters to divert junk mail; optimising the functions and features of online tools for a particular purpose

English ACELY1654 English ACELY1674 English ACELY1697


Science ACSIS066

English ACELY1717

Science ACSIS105

English ACELY1738

Science ACSIS141

English ACELY1748

Science ACSIS200

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Understand ICT systems

identify common consumer ICT systems with input and output functions

identify the main components of common consumer ICT systems, their fundamental functions, and describe them using basic ICT terminology

identify and compare the use of the main components of different ICT systems

identify, compare and classify basic ICT system components

identify and compare networked ICT system components including between hardware, software and data

apply an understanding of networked ICT system components to make changes to functions, processes, procedures and devices to fit the purpose of the solutions

Examples

• identifying and/or listing different ICT systems such as desktop, notebook, tablet and mobile systems

Examples

• identifying basic hardware and peripherals, such as mouse, keyboard, monitor, printer, and some software programs, such as word processing, drawing and paint software

Examples

• comparing the use of a touch screen and apps on a mobile with mouse and applications on a desktop computer

Examples

• understanding the uses of standard input, processing, output and storage components such as, input – keyboard, microphone; process – central processing unit; output –monitor, speakers, projector; storage – cloud, USB, hard drive; understanding the use and role of system and application software

Examples

• identifying and comparing the concepts of local area networks, server-client networks, cloud systems, saving files in differing formats so that they are compatible across different software platforms

Examples

• applying their understanding to decide whether to use cloud, local server or local storage; deciding whether to use a webcam or digital video camera

English ACELY1711

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Manage digital data

save and retrieve digital data with support

manage and maintain digital data with guidance

manage and maintain digital data using common methods

manage and maintain data on different storage mediums – locally and on networks

manage and maintain data for groups of users using a variety of methods and systems

manage and maintain data securely in a variety of storage mediums and formats

Examples

• using the Save and Open functions on an application

Examples

• saving and retrieving data; providing unique names for files; applying basic functions such as opening and dragging-and dropping files

Examples

• managing and maintaining lists, favourites, bookmarks, folders and files

Examples

• saving/exporting data in files of different formats; routinely backing up and protecting data; moving data from one location to another

Examples

• setting up and maintaining shared folders

Examples

• designing and using logical and sustainable file/folder naming conventions; maintaining version control of documents; limiting access to data by location or password

Science ACSIS039 Mathematics ACMSP069

Science ACSIS055

Science ACSIS104 Science ACSIS141 Science ACSIS199

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Critical and creative thinking Introduction

In the Australian Curriculum, students develop capability in critical and creative thinking as they learn to generate and evaluate knowledge, clarify concepts and ideas, seek possibilities, consider alternatives and solve problems. Critical and creative thinking are integral to activities that require students to think broadly and deeply using skills, behaviours and dispositions such as reason, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation in all learning areas at school and in their lives beyond school.

The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA 2008) recognises that critical and creative thinking are fundamental to students becoming successful learners. Thinking that is productive, purposeful and intentional is at the centre of effective learning. By applying a sequence of thinking skills, students develop an increasingly sophisticated understanding of the processes they can employ whenever they encounter problems, unfamiliar information and new ideas. In addition, the progressive development of knowledge about thinking and the practice of using thinking strategies can increase students’ motivation for, and management of, their own learning. They become more confident and autonomous problem-solvers and thinkers.

Responding to the challenges of the twenty-first century – with its complex environmental, social and economic pressures – requires young people to be creative, innovative, enterprising and adaptable, with the motivation, confidence and skills to use critical and creative thinking purposefully.

Scope of Critical and creative thinking

This capability combines two types of thinking – critical thinking and creative thinking. Though the two are not interchangeable, they are strongly linked, bringing complementary dimensions to thinking and learning.

Critical thinking is at the core of most intellectual activity that involves students in learning to recognise or develop an argument, use evidence in support of that argument, draw reasoned conclusions, and use information to solve problems. Examples of thinking skills are interpreting, analysing, evaluating, explaining, sequencing, reasoning, comparing, questioning, inferring, hypothesising, appraising, testing and generalising.

Creative thinking involves students in learning to generate and apply new ideas in specific contexts, seeing existing situations in a new way, identifying alternative explanations, and seeing or making new links that generate a positive outcome. This includes combining parts to form something original, sifting and refining ideas to discover possibilities, constructing theories and objects, and acting on intuition. The products of creative endeavour can involve complex representations and images, investigations and performances, digital and computer-generated output, or occur as virtual reality.

Concept formation is the mental activity that helps us compare, contrast and classify ideas, objects, and events. Concept learning can be concrete or abstract and is closely allied with metacognition. What has been learned can be applied to future examples. It underpins the elements outlined below.

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Dispositions such as inquisitiveness, reasonableness, intellectual flexibility, open- and fair-mindedness, a readiness to try new ways of doing things and consider alternatives, and persistence both promote and are enhanced by critical and creative thinking.

Critical and creative thinking can be encouraged simultaneously through activities that integrate reason, logic, imagination and innovation; for example, focusing on a topic in a logical, analytical way for some time, sorting out conflicting claims, weighing evidence, thinking through possible solutions, and then, following reflection and perhaps a burst of creative energy, coming up with innovative and considered responses. Critical and creative thinking are communicative processes that develop both flexibility and precision. Communication is integral to each of the thinking processes. By sharing thinking, visualisation and innovation, and by giving and receiving effective feedback, students learn to value the diversity of learning and communication styles.

For a description of the organising elements for Critical and creative thinking, go to Organising elements.

Critical and creative thinking across the curriculum

The imparting of knowledge (content) and the development of thinking skills are accepted today as primary purposes of education. The explicit teaching and embedding of Critical and creative thinking throughout the learning areas encourages students to engage in higher order thinking. By using logic and imagination, and by reflecting on how they best tackle issues, tasks and challenges, students are increasingly able to select from a range of thinking strategies and employ them selectively and spontaneously in an increasing range of learning contexts.

Activities that foster critical and creative thinking should include both independent and collaborative tasks, and entail some sort of transition or tension between ways of thinking. They should be challenging and engaging, and contain approaches that are within the ability range of the learners, but also challenge them to think logically, reason, be open-minded, seek alternatives, tolerate ambiguity, inquire into possibilities, be innovative risk-takers and use their imagination.

Critical and creative thinking is addressed through the learning areas and is identified wherever it is developed or applied in content descriptions. It is also identified where it offers opportunities to add depth and richness to student learning in content elaborations. An icon indicates where Critical and creative thinking has been identified in learning area content descriptions and elaborations. A filter function on the Australian Curriculum website assists users to identify F–10 curriculum content where Critical and creative thinking has been identified. Teachers may find further opportunities to incorporate explicit teaching of Critical and creative thinking depending on their choice of activities. Students can also be encouraged to develop capability through personally relevant initiatives of their own design.

• Critical and creative thinking in English (http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/General-capabilities)

• Critical and creative thinking in Mathematics (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Mathematics/General-capabilities)

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• Critical and creative thinking in Science (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Science/General-capabilities)

• Critical and creative thinking in History

(www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/History/General-capabilities)

Background

This background summarises the evidence base from which the Critical and creative thinking capability’s introduction, organising elements and learning continuum have been developed. It draws on foundational and recent international and national research, as well as initiatives and programs that focus on critical and creative thinking across the curriculum.

Critical and creative thinking are variously characterised by theorists as dispositions (Tishman, Perkins and Jay; Ritchhart, Church and Morrison), taxonomies of skills (Bloom; Anderson, Krathwohl et al.), habits and frames of mind (Costa and Kallick; Gardner; de Bono), thinking strategies (Marzano, Pickering and Pollock), and philosophical inquiry (Lipman, Sharp and Oscanyan). Each of these approaches has informed the development of the Critical and creative thinking capability.

The capability is concerned with the encouragement of skills and learning dispositions or tendencies towards particular patterns of intellectual behaviour. These include being broad, flexible and adventurous thinkers, making plans and being strategic, demonstrating metacognition, and displaying intellectual perseverance and integrity. Students learn to skilfully and mindfully use thinking dispositions or ‘habits of mind’ such as risk taking and managing impulsivity (Costa and Kallick 2000) when confronted with problems to which solutions are not immediately apparent.

Both Gardner (1994) and Robinson (2009) emphasise that we need to understand and capitalise on the natural aptitudes, talents and passions of students – they may be highly visual, or think best when they are moving, or listening, or reading. Critical and creative thinking are fostered through opportunities to use dispositions such as broad and adventurous thinking, reflecting on possibilities, and metacognition (Perkins 1995), and can result from intellectual flexibility, open-mindedness, adaptability and a readiness to experiment with and clarify new questions and phenomena (Gardner 2009). Recent discoveries in neuroscience have furthered theories about thinking, the brain, perception and the link between cognition and emotions. Theorists believe that learning is enhanced when rich environments contain multiple stimuli, stressing the importance of engaging the mind’s natural curiosity through complex and meaningful challenges.

Educational taxonomies map sequences of skills and processes considered to be foundational and essential for learning. The most well-known of these, developed by Bloom et al. (1956), divided educational objectives into domains where learning at the higher levels was dependent on having attained prerequisite knowledge and skills at lower levels. In 1967, Bruner and colleagues described the process of concept learning as an active process in which learners construct new concepts or ideas based on their knowledge.

The philosophical inquiry model, first applied to school education by Lipman, Sharp and Oscanyan (1980), has two major elements: critical and creative thinking, and forming a classroom environment called a ‘community of inquiry’, to support the development of

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thinking and discussion skills. This model places emphasis on possibilities and meanings, wondering, reasoning, rigour, logic, and using criteria for measuring the quality of thinking.

Lave and Wenger (1991) described ‘learning communities’ that value their collective competence and learn from each other. Through their notion of ‘authentic’ learning, the importance of engagement and linking student interests and preferred learning modes with classroom learning has emerged. Marzano, Pickering and Pollock (2001) identified the strategies most likely to improve student achievement across all content areas and grade levels. These include using non-linguistic representations and learning organisers, and generating and testing hypotheses.

In 2001, Anderson and Krathwohl changed Bloom’s cognitive process of ‘synthesis’ to ‘creativity’ and made it the highest level of intellectual functioning. They believed the ability to create required the production of an original idea or a product from a unique synthesis of discrete elements.

Twenty-first century learning theories emphasise the importance of supporting authentic and ubiquitous (anywhere, anyhow) learning, and providing students with opportunities, resources and spaces to develop their creative and critical thinking skills (Newton and Fisher 2009; McGuinness 1999, 2010). Gardner’s (2009) five ‘minds’ for the future – the disciplined, synthesising, creating, respectful and ethical minds – offers a helpful starting place. Learners need to develop the skills to analyse and respond to authentic situations through inquiry, imagination and innovation.

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References

Anderson, L., Krathwohl, D., et al. (eds) 2001, A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: a revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives, Allyn & Bacon, Boston, MA.

Bloom, B., Englehart, M., Furst, E., Hill, W. & Krathwohl, D. 1956, Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: the classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive Domain, David McKay, New York.

Bruner, J., Goodnow, J.J. & Austin, G.A. 1967, A Study of Thinking, Science Editions, New York.

Costa, A.L. & Kallick, B. 2000–2001b, Habits of Mind, Search Models Unlimited, Highlands Ranch, Colorado: www.instituteforhabitsofmind.com/ (accessed 10 October 2011).

Costa, A. & Kallick, B. (eds) 2004, Discovering and Exploring Habits of Mind, Hawker Brownlow Education, Heatherton, Melbourne.

deBono, E. 2009, CoRT 1 Breadth Tools, The McQuaig Group Inc.: www.deBonoForSchools.com (accessed 10 October 2011).

Erickson, H.L. 2006, Concept-based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom, Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, California: www.sagepub.com/upm-data/11469_Erickson_Ch_1.pdf (accessed 10 October 2011).

Gardner, H. 1993, Frames of Mind: the theory of multiple intelligences, Fontana Press, UK.

Gardner, H. 1994, Multiple Intelligences: the theory in practice, Harper Collins, New York.

Gardner, H. 2009, 5 Minds for the Future, McGraw-Hill, North Ryde, Sydney.

Lave, J. & Wenger, E. 1991, Situated Learning: legitimate peripheral participation, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, MA.

Lipman, M., Sharp, M. & Oscanyan, F. 1980, Philosophy in the Classroom, Temple University Press, Philadelphia.

Marzano, R., Pickering, D. & Pollock, J. 2001, Classroom Instruction That Works, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Alexandria, Virginia.

McGuinness, C. 1999, From Thinking Skills to Thinking Classrooms: a review and evaluation of approaches for developing pupils’ thinking, Research Report No. 115, Department for Education and Employment, Norwich, UK.

McGuinness, C. 2010, Thinking and Metacognition video, The Journey to Excellence series, HMle – Improving Scottish Education: www.journeytoexcellence.org.uk/videos/expertspeakers/metacognitioncarolmcguinness.asp (accessed 10 October 2011).

Newton, C., & Fisher, K. 2009, Take 8. Learning Spaces: the transformation of educational spaces for the 21st century, The Australian Institute of Architects, ACT.

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Perkins, D. 1995, The Intelligent Eye: learning to think by looking at art, Getty Centre for the Arts, California.

Ritchhart, R., Church, M. & Morrison, K. 2011, Making Thinking Visible: how to promote engagement, understanding, and independence for all learners, John Wiley & Sons, Stafford, Queensland.

Robinson, K., ‘Education systems too narrow’, ABC 7.30 Report (16 June 2009): www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2009/s2600125.htm (accessed 10 October 2011).

Tishman, S., Perkins, D. & Jay, E. 1995, The Thinking Classroom: learning and teaching in a culture of thinking, Allyn & Bacon, Boston.

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Organising elements

The Critical and creative thinking learning continuum is organised into four interrelated elements, each detailing differing aspects of thinking. The elements are not a taxonomy of thinking. Rather, each makes its own contribution to learning and needs to be explicitly and simultaneously developed.

• Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas • Generating ideas, possibilities and actions • Reflecting on thinking and processes • Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures


Organising elements for Critical and creative thinking

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and clarifying information and ideas

This element involves students in posing questions and identifying and clarifying information and ideas, followed by organising and processing information. When inquiring – identifying, exploring and clarifying information and ideas, students use questioning to investigate and analyse ideas and issues, make sense of and assess information and ideas, and collect, compare and evaluate information from a range of sources. In summary, inquiring primarily consists of:

• pose questions • identify and clarify information and ideas • organise and process information.

Generating ideas, possibilities and actions

This element involves students in imagining possibilities and connecting ideas through considering alternatives and seeking solutions and putting ideas into action. Students create new, and expand on known, ideas. They explore situations and generate alternatives to guide actions and experiment with and assess options and actions when seeking solutions. In summary, generating primarily consists of:

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• imagine possibilities and connect ideas • consider alternatives • seek solutions and put ideas into action.

Reflecting on thinking and processes

This element involves students thinking about thinking (metacognition), reflecting on actions and processes, and transferring knowledge into new contexts to create alternatives or open up possibilities. Students reflect on, adjust and explain their thinking and identify the thinking behind choices, strategies and actions taken. They apply knowledge gained in one context to clarify another. In summary, reflecting primarily consists of:

• think about thinking (metacognition) • reflect on processes • transfer knowledge into new contexts.

Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures

This element involves students in applying logic and reasoning, drawing conclusions and designing a course of action and evaluating procedures and outcomes. Students consider and assess the logic and reasoning behind choices, they differentiate components of decisions made and actions taken and assess ideas, methods and outcomes against criteria. In summary, analysing primarily consists of:

• apply logic and reasoning • draw conclusions and design a course of action • evaluate procedures and outcomes.

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Critical and Creative Thinking Learning Continuum

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas








Pose questions

pose factual and exploratory questions based on personal interests and experiences

pose questions to identify and clarify issues, and compare information in their world

pose questions to expand their knowledge about the world

pose questions to clarify and interpret information and probe for causes and consequences

pose questions to probe assumptions and investigate complex issues

pose questions to critically analyse complex issues and abstract ideas

Examples

• asking why events make people happy or sad

Examples

• asking how and why certain actions and events occurred

Examples

• asking who, when, how and why about a range of situations and events

Examples

• inquiring into cause and effect of significant events in their lives

Examples

• questioning causes and effects of local and world events

Examples

• questioning to uncover assumptions and inferences and provoke debate about global events

English ACELT1783

Science ACSIS014

History ACHHS017

English ACELA1589


Science ACSHE034

History ACHHS049

English ACELA1488


Science ACSIS064

History ACHHS083

English ACELA1517


Science ACSIS231

History ACHHS119

English ACELT1628

Science ACSIS139

History ACHHS150

English ACELT1812


Science ACSIS198

History ACHHS184

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Identify and clarify information and ideas

identify and describe familiar information and ideas during a discussion or investigation

identify and explore information and ideas from source materials

identify main ideas and select and clarify information from a range of sources

identify and clarify relevant information and prioritise ideas

clarify information and ideas from texts or images when exploring challenging issues

clarify complex information and ideas drawn from a range of sources

Examples

• identifying what led to a decision being made

Examples

• exploring patterns and similarities

Examples

• establishing a sequence during investigation of artefact, image or text

Examples

• giving reasons for a preferred pathway when problem solving

Examples

• identifying the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches

Examples

• scrutinising contrasting positions offered about events or findings

English ACELA1786


Science ACSIS233

History ACHHS019

English ACELA1460


Science ACSIS038

History ACHHK051

English ACELT1602


Science ACIS216

History ACHHSK084

English ACELT1602


Science ACSHE081

History ACHHS121

English ACELA1548


Science ACSIS144

History ACCHS154

English ACELY1749


Science ACSIS203

History ACHHS186

Organise and process information

gather similar information or depictions from given sources

organise information based on similar or relevant ideas from several sources

collect, compare and categorise facts and opinions found in a widening range of sources

analyse, condense and combine relevant information from multiple sources

critically analyse information and evidence according to criteria such as validity and relevance

critically analyse independently sourced information to determine bias and reliability

Examples Examples Examples Examples Examples Examples

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• collecting a variety of representations of particular action(s)

• finding examples of kindness or change in several sources

• processing relevant depictions of an event

• establishing opinion versus fact in literature and film

• scrutinising the accuracy of depicted events

• critiquing data from known and unknown sources

English ACELA1430

Science ACSSU005

History ACHHS019

English ACELA1469


Science ACISIS040

History ACHHK050

English ACELA1489


Science ACSIS054

History ACHHS084

English ACELY1708


Science ACSIS090

History ACHHS122

English ACELT1626


Science ACSIS141

History ACCHS151

English ACELT1639


Science ACSIS199

History ACCHS189

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Generating ideas, possibilities and actions








Imagine possibilities and connect ideas

use imagination to view or create things in new ways and connect two things that seem different

build on what they know to create ideas and possibilities in ways that are new to them

expand on known ideas to create new and imaginative combinations

combine ideas in a variety of ways and from a range of sources to create new possibilities

draw parallels between known and new ideas to create new ways of achieving goals

create and connect complex ideas using imagery, analogies and symbolism

Examples

• changing the shape or colour of familiar objects

Examples

• using a flow chart when plotting actions

Examples

• exchanging or combining ideas using mind maps

Examples

• by matching ideas from science and history

Examples

• using patterns and trends in Mathematics to arrive at possible solutions in other learning areas

Examples

• developing hypotheses based on known and invented models and theories

Mathematics ACMMG008 English ACELT1591


Science ACSIS037

History ACHHS052

English ACELT1607


Science ACSIS053

English ACELT1618


Science ACSIS107


Science ACSHE134

History ACHHS148

English ACELY1756


History ACHHS192

Consider alternatives

suggest alternative and creative ways to approach a given situation or task

identify and compare creative ideas to think broadly about a given

explore situations using creative thinking strategies to propose a range of

identify situations where current approaches do not work, challenge existing ideas and generate

generate alternatives and innovative solutions, and adapt ideas, including when information is limited

speculate on creative options to modify ideas when circumstances

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situation or problem alternatives alternative solutions or conflicting change

Examples

• considering alternative uses for a familiar product

Examples

• considering ways of conserving water in their environment

Examples

• asking ‘What if..?’ when conducting an investigation

Examples

• examining the environmental impact of transporting goods

Examples

• negotiating a solution to a community dispute

Examples

• submitting designed and developed ideas or products for further investigation

English ACELY1651


History ACHHS020

English ACELLY1665


Science ACSIS042

History ACHHS052

English ACELY1694


Science ACSIS065

History ACHHK080

English ACELT1800

Science ACSIS104

History ACHHS123

English ACELY1736


Science ACSHE135

History ACHHS155

History ACHHS193

Seek solutions and put ideas into action

predict what might happen in a given situation and when putting ideas into action

investigate options and predict possible outcomes when putting ideas into action

experiment with a range of options when seeking solutions and putting ideas into action

assess and test options to identify the most effective solution and to put ideas into action

predict possibilities, and identify and test consequences when seeking solutions and putting ideas into action

assess risks and explain contingencies, taking account of a range of perspectives, when seeking solutions and putting complex ideas into action

Examples

• suggesting different endings to a story

Examples

• exploring identified problems and ways of

Examples

• using a graphic organiser to suggest

Examples

• using role plays to test and refine approaches when initial ideas do

Examples

• using information from a range of sources to predict results from an

Examples

• expressing difficult concepts digitally, kinaesthetically or

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overcoming them alternative solutions not work inquiry or investigation spatially



Science ACSIS041

History ACHHK045

English ACELA1496


Science ACSIS069

English ACELT1800


Science ACSIS104

English ACELA1548


Science ACSIS140

History ACHHS155

English ACELY1756


Science ACSIS205

History ACHHS190

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Reflecting on thinking and processes








Think about thinking (metacognition)

describe what they are thinking and give reasons why

describe the thinking strategies used in given situations and tasks

reflect on, explain and check the processes used to come to conclusions

reflect on assumptions made, consider reasonable criticism and adjust their thinking if necessary

assess assumptions in their thinking and invite alternative opinions

give reasons to support their thinking, and address opposing viewpoints and possible weaknesses in their own positions

Examples

• drawing on a past experience to explain their thinking

Examples

• describing how they approach tasks when they are not sure what to do

Examples

• explaining ways they check their thinking and deal with setbacks

Examples

• identifying where methods of investigation and inquiry could be improved

Examples

• reflecting on the accuracy of their own and others’ thinking

Examples

• reflecting on justifications for approaching problems in certain ways

English ACELT1783 English ACELT1590


Science ACSIS214

English ACELY1687


Science ACSIS216

History ACHHS085

English ACELY1715


Science ACSIS108

History ACHHS119

English ACELY1731

Science ACSIS145

History ACCHS155

English ACELT1640


Science ACSHE194

History ACHHS188

Reflect on processes

identify the main elements of the steps in a thinking

outline the details and sequence in a whole task and separate it into

identify pertinent information in an investigation and separate

identify and justify the thinking behind choices

evaluate and justify the reasons behind choosing a particular problem-solving

balance rational and irrational components of a complex or ambiguous

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process workable parts into smaller parts or ideas they have made strategy problem to evaluate evidence

Examples

• identifying steps involved in daily routines

Examples

• using logic to sort information in graphic organisers or musical segments

Examples

• examining the significant aspects of an historical event

Examples

• explaining why particular musical notations or mathematical sequences were selected

Examples

• choosing images that best represent an idea or product

Examples

• exploring reasons for selecting or rejecting patterns or groupings to represent an idea

English ACELY1648 English ACELT1592


Science ACSSU030

English ACELT1592


Science ACSSU073

History ACHHK080

English ACELY1709


Science ACSIS110

History ACHHK115

English ACELY1810


Science ACSIS131

History ACHHS154

English ACELA1572


Science ACSIS206

History ACHHS184

Transfer knowledge into new contexts

connect information from one setting to another

use information from a previous experience to inform a new idea

transfer and apply information in one setting to enrich another

apply knowledge gained from one context to another unrelated context and identify new meaning

justify reasons for decisions when transferring information to similar and different contexts

identify, plan and justify transference of knowledge to new contexts

Examples

• giving reasons for rules at home and school

Examples

• applying reasons for actions previously given

Examples

• using visual or numerical representations to

Examples

• using statistics to interpret information from census data about

Examples

• explaining choices, such as the use of a soundtrack to

Examples

• demonstrating ways ideas gained in an historical or literary

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to similar new situations clarify information migration accompany a performance

context could be applied in a different scenario

English ACELY1648

English ACELY1666


Science ACSSU031

History ACHHK046

English ACELY1691


Science ACSHE050

English ACELT1616


Science ACSHE220

English ACELY1735


Science ACSIS234

History ACCHS153

English ACELA1565


Science ACSHE158

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Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures








Apply logic and reasoning

identify the thinking used to solve problems in given situations

identify reasoning used in choices or actions in specific situations

identify and apply appropriate reasoning and thinking strategies for particular outcomes

assess whether there is adequate reasoning and evidence to justify a claim, conclusion or outcome

identify gaps in reasoning and missing elements in information

analyse reasoning used in finding and applying solutions, and in choice of resources

Examples

• asking how dilemmas in narratives were solved

Examples

• asking what course of action was most logical and why

Examples

• using logical or predictive reasoning when problem solving

Examples

• comparing and contrasting interpretations of information or image

Examples

• finding wrong rationales or assumptions made and/or illogical conclusions drawn when seeking outcomes

Examples

• testing propositions to identify reliability of data and faulty reasoning when designing new products

English ACELA1786


History ACHHS021

English ACELA1462

Science ACSHE035

History ACHHS051

English ACELY1690


Science ACSIS057

English ACELT1614

Science ACSIS221

English ACELY1730

Science ACSIS234

History ACHHS152

English ACELY1754


Science ACSIS165

History ACHHS187

Draw conclusions and design a course of action

share their thinking about possible courses of action

identify alternative courses of action or possible conclusions when

draw on prior knowledge and use evidence when choosing a course of action

scrutinise ideas or concepts, test conclusions and modify actions when

differentiate the components of a designed course of action and

use logical and abstract thinking to analyse and synthesise complex

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presented with new information

or drawing a conclusion designing a course of action

tolerate ambiguities when drawing conclusions

information to inform a course of action

Examples

• discussing various ways people could have acted

Examples

• describing how an outcome might change if a character acted differently

Examples

• assessing the worth of elements of a planned approach or solution

Examples

• charting progress of an argument or investigation and proposing alternatives

Examples

• assessing the success of a formula for a product or management of an event

Examples

• using primary or secondary evidence to support or refute a conclusion

English ACELY1646


English ACELA1469


Science ACSIS025

History ACHHK046

English ACELT1604


Science ACSHE062

English ACELY1801


Science ACSIS218

History ACHHS119

English ACELY1732


History ACHHS155

English ACELY1750


Science ACSIS172

History ACHHS189

Evaluate procedures and outcomes

check whether they are satisfied with the outcome of tasks or actions

evaluate whether they have accomplished what they set out to achieve

explain and justify ideas and outcomes

evaluate the effectiveness of ideas, products, performances, methods and courses of action against given criteria

explain intentions and justify ideas, methods and courses of action, and account for expected and unexpected outcomes against criteria they have identified

evaluate the effectiveness of ideas, products and performances and implement courses of action to achieve desired outcomes against criteria they have identified

Examples

• asking whether their work sounds and looks

Examples

• asking whether they listened to a peer’s

Examples

• evaluating whether specified materials or

Examples

• assessing their own and peer responses to

Examples

• evaluating whether a chosen investigation

Examples

• strengthening a conclusion, identifying

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right and makes sense answer well or used a suitable procedure

calculations were appropriate for set goals or evidence presented

an issue, performance or artefact

method withstands scrutiny

alternative solutions to an investigation

English ACELY1669

Science ACISIS212

English ACELY1695


Science ACSIS058

History ACHHS216

English ACELA1518


History ACHHS216

English ACELA1543

Science ACSIS124

History ACHHS151

English ACELY1752


Science ACSIS171

History ACHHS188

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Personal and social capability Introduction

In the Australian Curriculum, students develop personal and social capability as they learn to understand themselves and others, and manage their relationships, lives, work and learning more effectively. The capability involves students in a range of practices including recognising and regulating emotions, developing empathy for others and understanding relationships, establishing and building positive relationships, making responsible decisions, working effectively in teams, handling challenging situations constructively and developing leadership skills.

The Melbourne Declaration on the Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA 2008) recognises that personal and social capability assists students to become successful learners, helping to improve their academic learning and enhancing their motivation to reach their full potential. Personal and social capability supports students in becoming creative and confident individuals with ‘a sense of self-worth, self-awareness and personal identity that enables them to manage their emotional, mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing’, with a sense of hope and ‘optimism about their lives and the future’. On a social level, it helps students to ‘form and maintain healthy relationships’ and prepares them ‘for their potential life roles as family, community and workforce members’ (MCEETYA, p. 9).

Students with well-developed social and emotional skills find it easier to manage themselves, relate to others, develop resilience and a sense of self-worth, resolve conflict, engage in teamwork and feel positive about themselves and the world around them. The development of personal and social capability is a foundation for learning and for citizenship.

Scope of Personal and social capability

Personal and social capability encompasses students' personal/emotional and social/relational dispositions, intelligences, sensibilities and learning. It develops effective life skills for students, including understanding and handling themselves, their relationships, learning and work. Although it is named ‘Personal and social capability’, the words ‘personal/emotional’ and ‘social/relational’ are used interchangeably throughout the literature and within educational organisations. The term ‘Social and Emotional Learning’ is also often used, as is the SEL acronym.

When students develop their skills in any one of these elements, it leads to greater overall personal and social capability, and also enhances their skills in the other elements. In particular, the more students learn about their own emotions, values, strengths and capacities, the more they are able to manage their own emotions and behaviours, and to understand others and establish and maintain positive relationships.

For a description of the organising elements for Personal and social capability, go to Organising elements.

Personal and social capability across the curriculum

Personal and social capability skills are addressed in all learning areas and at every stage of a student’s schooling. This enables teachers to plan for the teaching of targeted skills specific to an individual’s learning needs to provide access to and engagement with the learning areas.

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However, some of the skills and practices implicit in the development of the capability may be most explicitly addressed in specific learning areas, such as Health and Physical Education. Teachers can also use the Personal and social capability learning continuum to plan for the teaching of targeted skills specific to an individual’s learning needs. For more detailed advice on using the Personal and social capability to personalise learning go to Student Diversity

The Personal and social capability is addressed through the learning areas and is identified wherever it is developed or applied in content descriptions. It is also identified where it offers opportunities to add depth and richness to student learning in content elaborations. An icon indicates where Personal and social capability has been identified in learning area content descriptions and elaborations. A filter function on the Australian Curriculum website assists users to find where Personal and social capability has been identified in F–10 curriculum content. Teachers may find further opportunities to incorporate explicit teaching of Personal and social capability depending on their choice of activities. Students can also be encouraged to develop capability through personally relevant initiatives of their own design.

• Personal and social capability in English (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/General-capabilities)

• Personal and social capability in Mathematics (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Mathematics/General-capabilities)

• Personal and social capability in Science (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Science/General-capabilities)

• Personal and social capability in History (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/History/General-capabilities)

Background

This background summarises the evidence base from which the Personal and social capability’s introduction, organising elements and learning continuum have been developed. It draws on recent international and national research, as well as initiatives and programs that focus on personal and social capability across the curriculum.

The domain of personal and social learning is not new, despite changes to nomenclature, definitions and understandings over the past century. In 1920, Thorndike identified ‘social intelligence’ as an important facet of intelligence. Since then, many researchers and educators, including Moss and Hunt (1927), Vernon (1933), Wechsler (1940), Gardner (1983), Salovey and Mayer (1990), Seligman (1998) and Goleman (1995, 1998, 2006), have explored this concept, each contributing to current understandings of this domain. Importantly, recent contributors have emphasised the ability to develop and improve personal and social capability both as adults and as children. Development of personal and social learning can provide a way for students with disability to access age-equivalent content and promote student learning, self-confidence and independence (Wehmeyer et al 2007, 2012; Malow 2012).

Two contributors have been particularly significant to recent developments in personal and social learning as a competence or capability in school education. Gardner’s (1983) Frames of Mind: the theory of multiple intelligences broadened notions of intelligence, introducing and popularising the concepts of intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence, which represented two

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of his eight intelligences. More recently, Goleman further popularised the concepts of emotional intelligence (1995) and social intelligence (2006) in educational discourse.

In 1994, Goleman and others founded the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Since then, CASEL has been the world’s leading organisation in advancing understandings, research, networks, curriculum, school practice and public policy in the area of personal and social learning.

CASEL’s evidence-based approach and definitions of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) are the best known and most highly respected in the world today, and provide an excellent framework for integrating the academic, emotional and social dimensions of learning.

Most educational programs around the world that integrate social and emotional learning are based on CASEL’s SEL framework. This framework is also drawn upon and referenced by various personal, interpersonal and social curriculum in Australian states and territories, and by programs such as MindMatters, KidsMatter and Response Ability.

While some differences emerge within the literature about how personal and emotional learning should be named, constructed and taught, and different organisations also include some additional categories, it is widely accepted that a Personal and social capability will always include a minimum foundation of the four interrelated and non-sequential organising elements – Self-awareness, Self-management, Social awareness and Social management – used in the Personal and social capability learning continuum.

The capability has also been richly informed by understandings gained through the National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools (DEEWR 2005), and the resultant Values education initiatives in all areas of Australian schooling. In addition, the Melbourne Declaration on Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA, p. 5) states that ‘a school’s legacy to young people should include national values of democracy, equity and justice, and personal values and attributes such as honesty, resilience and respect for others’. While Values education is certainly found in the Personal and social capability, it is also located within other general capabilities, such as Ethical understanding.

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References

Beveridge, A. 2010, Report: General capabilities – social competence, Hay Group (commissioned by ACARA, unpublished).

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in Schools: http://casel.org (accessed 9 October 2011).

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations 2005, National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools: www.curriculum.edu.au/values/val_national_framework_for_values_education,8757.html(accessed 9 October 2011).

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations 2010, National Safe Schools Framework – draft, ACT, Australia: www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/NationalSafeSchools/Pages/nationalsafeschoolsframework.aspx (accessed 9 October 2011).

Department of Health and Ageing 2010, KidsMatter: Australian primary schools mental health initiative: www.kidsmatter.edu.au/primary/ (accessed 9 October 2011).

Department of Health and Ageing 2010, MindMatters: www.mindmatters.edu.au/default.asp (accessed 9 October 2011).

Department of Health and Ageing, implemented by Hunter Institute of Mental Health in partnership with universities and tertiary educators, Response Ability: www.responseability.org/site/index.cfm (accessed 9 October 2011).

Gardner, H. 1983, Frames of Mind: the theory of multiple intelligences, Basic Books, New York.

Goleman, D. 1995, Emotional Intelligence: why it can matter more than IQ, Bantam, New York.

Goleman, D. 1998, Working with Emotional Intelligence, Bantam, New York.

Goleman, D. 2006, Social Intelligence: the new science of human relationships, Hutchinson, London.

Malow, M. (2012) Self-discipline: The developmental seeds of pro-social behaviour. Strategies for Successful Learning, 5 (3), January 2013 http://www.ldworldwide.org/educators/strategies-for-successful-learning/1027-self-discipline-the-developmental-seeds-of-pro-social-behavior (accessed 12 March 2013)

Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training & Youth Affairs, 2008, Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians: www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf (accessed 9 October 2011).

Moss, F.A. & Hunt, T. 1927, ‘Are you socially intelligent?’, Scientific American, 137.

Rochat, P. (2003) Five levels of self-awareness as they unfold early in life. Consciousness and Cognition, 12 (4), 717-731. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053810003000813 (accessed 8 March 2013

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Salovey, P. & Mayer, J. 1990, ‘Emotional Intelligence’, Imagination, Cognition, and Personality 9, Baywood Publishing Company, Inc., pp. 185–211.

Seligman, M. 1998, Learned Optimism: how to change your mind and your life, 2nd edn, Pocket Books, New York.

Shogren, K. (2013). Self-determination and transition planning. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Thorndike, E.L. 1920, ‘Intelligence and its use’, Harper’s Magazine, no. 140, pp. 227–235.

Topping, K. Promoting social competence: http://www.dundee.ac.uk/eswce/research/projects/socialcompetence/ (accessed 8 March 2013)

Vernon, P.E. 1933, ‘Some characteristics of the good judge of personality’, Journal of Social Psychology, 4, pp. 42–57

Wechsler, D. 1940, ‘Non-intellective Factors in General Intelligence’, Psychological Bulletin, 37, pp. 444–445

Wehmeyer, M., Agran, M., Hughes, C., Palmer, S., Mithaug, D., & Martin, J. (2007). Promoting self-determination and student-directed learning for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. New York: Guilford. Wehmeyer, M., Shogren, K., Palmer, S., Williams-Diehm,K., Little, T., Boulton, A. (2012). The impact of the self-determined learning model of instruction on student self-determination. Council for Exceptional Children, Vol 78, No. 2, pages 135-153. Welsh Assembly Government (2008) Personal and social development, well-being and cultural diversity. http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/earlyyearshome/foundation_phase/parentscarers/childlearn/sevenareas/personaldiversity/?lang=en (accessed 8 March 2013) Welsh Assembly Government. Personal and social education for learners with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.

http://new.wales.gov.uk/psesub/home/resources/documents/pselearners/?lang=en (accessed 5 February 2013)

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Organising elements

The Personal and social capability learning continuum is organised into four interrelated elements of:

• Self-awareness

• Self-management

• Social awareness

• Social management


Organising elements for Personal and social capability

Self-awareness

This element involves students in identifying and describing the factors that influence their emotional responses. They develop a realistic sense of their personal abilities, qualities and strengths through knowing what they are feeling in the moment, and having a realistic assessment of their own abilities and a well-grounded sense of self-knowledge and self-confidence. Self-awareness involves students reflecting on and evaluating their learning, identifying personal characteristics that contribute to or limit their effectiveness, learning from successes or failures, and being able to interpret their own emotional states, needs and perspectives. In developing and acting with personal and social capability, students:

• recognise emotions

• recognise personal qualities and achievements

• understand themselves as learners

• develop reflective practice.

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Self-management

This element involves students in effectively regulating, managing and monitoring their own emotional responses, and persisting in completing tasks and overcoming obstacles. Students are engaged in developing organisational skills, and identifying the resources needed to achieve goals. This is achieved through developing the skills to work independently and to show initiative, learning to be conscientious, delaying gratification and persevering in the face of setbacks and frustrations. It also involves the metacognitive skill of learning when and how to use particular strategies. In developing and acting with personal and social capability, students:

• express emotions appropriately

• develop self-discipline and set goals

• work independently and show initiative

• become confident, resilient and adaptable.

Social awareness

This element involves students recognising others’ feelings and knowing how and when to assist others. Students learn to show respect for and understand others’ perspectives, emotional states and needs. They learn to participate in positive, safe and respectful relationships, defining and accepting individual and group roles and responsibilities. Students gain an understanding of the role of advocacy in contemporary society and build their capacity to critique societal constructs and forms of discrimination, such as racism and sexism. In developing and acting with personal and social capability, students:

• appreciate diverse perspectives

• contribute to civil society

• understand relationships.

Social management

This element involves students in interacting effectively and respectfully with a range of adults and peers. Students learn to negotiate and communicate effectively with others; work in teams, positively contribute to groups and collaboratively make decisions; resolve conflict and reach positive outcomes. Students develop the ability to initiate and manage successful personal relationships, and participate in a range of social and communal activities. Social management involves building skills associated with leadership, such as mentoring and role modelling. In developing and acting with personal and social capability, students:

• communicate effectively

• work collaboratively

• make decisions

• negotiate and resolve conflict

• develop leadership skills.

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Personal and Social Capability Learning Continuum

Self-awareness


1a 1b







Recognise emotions

recognise and identify their own emotions

identify a range of emotions and describe situations that may evoke these emotions

compare their emotional responses with those of their peers

describe the influence that people, situations and events have on their emotions

explain how the appropriateness of emotional responses influences behaviour

examine influences on and consequences of their emotional responses in learning, social and work-related contexts

reflect critically on their emotional responses to challenging situations in a wide range of learning, social and work-related contexts

Examples

• recognising when they are feeling ‘happy’, ‘sad’, ‘afraid’ or ‘angry’ and naming the emotion or selecting a photograph of a face that matches their current emotional state

Examples

• describing responses such as being excited at a birthday party or feeling disappointed when not selected for an award

Examples

• considering how others respond to difficult situations in historical contexts or when listening to fictional stories

Examples

• discussing their emotional responses to events, such as celebrations, sporting events or news stories

Examples

• explaining the likely consequences of inappropriate emotional responses in a range of social situations

Examples

• investigating emotional responses to unfair play or unfair treatment at work

Examples

• gathering feedback from peers and adults about the appropriateness of their emotional responses in a range of situations

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1a 1b







English ACELA1429 English ACELA1462 English ACELA1488 English ACELT1617

History ACHHK115

English ACELT1626

Science ACSIS140

English ACELT1643

Science ACSIS208

History ACDSEH121

Recognise personal qualities and achievements

express a personal preference

identify their likes and dislikes, needs and wants, and explore what influences these

identify and describe personal interests, skills and achievements and explain how these contribute to family and school life

describe personal strengths and challenges and identify skills they wish to develop

describe the influence that personal qualities and strengths have on their learning outcomes

make a realistic assessment of their abilities and achievements, and prioritise areas for improvement

assess their strengths and challenges and devise personally appropriate strategies to achieve future success

Examples

• choosing to engage in an activity

Examples

• describing activities they enjoy at school, noting their strengths

Examples

• identifying a personal quality or skill, such as being good at soccer or spelling, and describing how this might be useful to others

Examples

• listing a range of strengths supported by examples from home, school and community experiences

Examples

• keeping a journal or blog of how their personal qualities have helped achieve a positive learning outcome

Examples

• considering what interventions they could have made, and how these may have changed outcomes in study and personal pursuits

Examples

• designing a personal capability inventory that includes evidence to support their self-assessments

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1a 1b







English ACELA1429

Science ACSSU002

History ACHHK001

English ACELT1589

Science ACSSU030

History ACHHK045

English ACELY1692

Science ACSIS069

English ACELA1515

Science ACSHE220

History ACHHS120

English ACELA1541 English ACELT1814

History ACDSEH147

Understand themselves as learners

select tasks they can do in different learning contexts

identify their abilities, talents and interests as learners

discuss their strengths and weaknesses as learners and identify some learning strategies to assist them

identify and describe factors and strategies that assist their learning

identify preferred learning styles and work habits

identify and choose a range of learning strategies appropriate to specific tasks and describe work practices that assist their learning

evaluate the effectiveness of commonly used learning strategies and work practices and refine these as required

Examples

• communicating a willingness to have a go at a task

Examples

• sharing a personal experience, interest or discovery with peers, and describing what they have learnt

Examples

• describing how practising a skill improves performance

Examples

• keeping a journal of their learning, describing both positive and negative experiences

Examples

• identifying their preference as a visual, auditory or kinaesthetic learner

Examples

• choosing strategies that capitalise on and expand their strengths and preferred learning styles

Examples

• developing personal learning plans that identify effective study techniques

English ACELT1575

Science ACSSU002

English ACELY1667

Science ACSSU030


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1a 1b







Develop reflective practice

recognise and identify participation in or completion of a task

reflect on their feelings as learners and how their efforts affect skills and achievements

reflect on what they have learnt about themselves from a range of experiences at home and school

reflect on personal strengths and achievements, based on self-assessment strategies and teacher feedback

monitor their progress, seeking and responding to feedback from teachers to assist them in consolidating strengths, addressing weaknesses and fulfilling their potential

predict the outcomes of personal and academic challenges by drawing on previous problem-solving and decision-making strategies and feedback from peers and teachers

reflect on feedback from peers, teachers and other adults, to analyse personal characteristics and skill sets that contribute to or limit their personal and social capability

Examples

• communicating ‘I have finished’ or ‘I am working hard’

Examples

• responding to open-ended statements such as ‘I’m proud of this because …’ or using visual aids to illustrate their responses

Examples

• responding to prompts which help them acknowledge their successes and identify what they could do to make improvements

Examples

• with support, identifying strategies that help them complete tasks when they are uncertain and reflecting on their contributions to group activities

Examples

• building on their strengths in various roles in small and large groups, setting personal challenges to develop new skills and strategies

Examples

• identifying strategies they have used successfully to complete learning area tasks they have found difficult

Examples

• noticing how emotions such as anger and excitement affect learning and impact on achievements and successes

English ACELT1577

History ACHHS017

English ACELT1590 English ACELY1689

Science ACSIS065

English ACEL1710

Science ACSIS108

English ACELY1736 English ACELT1815

Science ACSIS208

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Self-management


1a 1b

Typically by the end of Foundation Year,

students:






Express emotions appropriately

recognise and identify how their emotions influence the way they feel and act

express their emotions constructively in interactions with others

describe ways to express emotions to show awareness of the feelings and needs of others

identify and describe strategies to manage and moderate emotions in increasingly unfamiliar situations

explain the influence of emotions on behaviour, learning and relationships

forecast the consequences of expressing emotions inappropriately and devise measures to regulate behaviour

consider control and justify their emotional responses, in expressing their opinions, beliefs, values, questions and choices

Examples

• communicating the physical changes they experience when excited, angry or stressed such as when they are excited they feel happy; or when they are angry their body goes tense

Examples

• communicating when they feel left out, lonely, excited, disappointed or unsafe during class and physical activities

Examples

• using different tone and voice level in and outside the classroom, and when interacting with adults and peers

Examples

• learning when, how and with whom it is appropriate to share anger, frustration and excitement

Examples

• noticing how emotions such as anger and excitement affect learning and impact on achievements and successes

Examples

• predicting situations that serve as emotional triggers and implementing regulating responses

Examples

• choosing appropriate language and voice to convey personal responses and opinions to a range of adults and peers

English ACELA1428


Science ACSIS071

English ACELA1517

Science ACSIS232

English ACELY1808

Science ACSHE135

English ACELY1813

Science ACSHE194

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1a 1b


students:






History ACHHS120 History ACDSEH109

Develop self-discipline and set goals

make a choice to participate in a class activity

follow class routines to assist learning

set goals in learning and personal organisation by completing tasks within a given time

explain the value of self-discipline and goal-setting in helping them to learn

analyse factors that influence ability to self-regulate; devise and apply strategies to monitor own behaviour and set realistic learning goals

select, use and analyse strategies that assist in regulating behaviour and achieving personal and learning goals

critically analyse self-discipline strategies and personal goals and consider their application in social and work-related contexts

Examples

• choosing to complete a task for positive reinforcement

Examples

• using class routines such as turn-taking, sitting when listening to stories, following instructions, managing transitions between activities

Examples

• organising their time using calendars and clocks

Examples

• identifying how distractions and priorities influence learning

Examples

• identifying desired goals and making plans to achieve these results

Examples

• using spread sheets and other organisers to plan and arrange activities at school and study outside school

Examples

• drawing on goal setting strategies used at school to plan for work life

English ACELY1646


English ACELA1461


English ACELY1688


English ACELY1710


English ACELY1731

Science ACSHE148

English ACELY1751

Science ACSIS208

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1a 1b


students:






Science ACSIS233 Science ACSIS039 Science ACSIS065 Science ACSHE100

History ACHHS120

Work independently and show initiative

attempt tasks with support or prompting

attempt tasks independently and identify when and from whom help can be sought

work independently on routine tasks and experiment with strategies to complete other tasks where appropriate

consider, select and adopt a range of strategies for working independently and taking initiative

assess the value of working independently, and taking initiative to do so where appropriate

critique their effectiveness in working independently by identifying enablers and barriers to achieving goals

establish personal priorities, manage resources effectively and demonstrate initiative to achieve personal goals and learning outcomes

Examples

• completing a selected task

Examples

• identifying situations where help is needed and the people who can help them, and when it is appropriate to 'give tasks a go'

Examples

• describing their daily school routine, identifying areas where it is appropriate and helpful for them to show initiative

Examples

• recognising when strategies previously used are not as effective as new strategies

Examples

• identifying situations where it is preferable to work independently or with others

Examples

• developing strategies for overcoming obstacles encountered in working independently

Examples

• identifying learning goals and monitoring effectiveness of their strategies and interventions to achieve them

English ACELY1647

Science ACSIS233

English ACELY1667

Science ACSIS039

English ACELT1607

Science ACSIS066

English ACELY1816

Science ACSIS104

English ACELY1731

Science ACSHE135

English ACELY1756

Science ACSHE195

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1a 1b


students:






History ACHHS021 History ACHHS120

Become confident, resilient and adaptable

identify people and situations with which they feel a sense of familiarity or belonging

identify situations that feel safe or unsafe, approaching new situations with confidence

undertake and persist with short tasks, within the limits of personal safety

persist with tasks when faced with challenges and adapt their approach where first attempts are not successful

devise strategies and formulate plans to assist in the completion of challenging tasks and the maintenance of personal safety

assess, adapt and modify personal and safety strategies and plans, and revisit tasks with renewed confidence

evaluate, rethink and refine approaches to tasks to take account of unexpected or difficult situations and safety considerations

Examples

• identifying family, friends, familiar people in the community

Examples

• choosing strategies to manage unsafe situations such as No Go Tell

Examples

• continuing to practise a physical activity despite individual limitations

Examples

• persisting to inform a trusted adult about an unsafe encounter, event or situation

Examples

• developing coping strategies for managing set backs

Examples

• recording successful strategies, and drawing on these in unfamiliar and complex situations

Examples

• reconceptualising a challenging learning task


Science ACSIS039

English ACELT1603

Science ACSIS065

English ACELY1710

Science ACSHE100

History ACHHS120

English ACELY1808


Science ACSIS148

English ACELY1757

Science ACSHE230

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Social awareness

Level 1a Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6

1a 1b







Appreciate diverse perspectives

show an awareness for the feelings, needs and interests of others

acknowledge that people hold many points of view

describe similarities and differences in points of view between themselves and people in their communities

discuss the value of diverse perspectives and describe a point of view that is different from their own

explain how means of communication differ within and between communities and identify the role these play in helping or hindering understanding of others

acknowledge the values, opinions and attitudes of different groups within society and compare to their own points of view

articulate their personal value system and analyse the effects of actions that repress social power and limit the expression of diverse views

Examples

• showing interest in a peer’s ideas or opinions

Examples

• identifying the range of likes and dislikes within their class

Examples

• comparing changes in attitudes about behaviours in different places or over time

Examples

• exchanging views with a classmate on a topical issue and reporting their perspective to the class

Examples

• describing ways that language or gestures are used in a range of social settings

Examples

• identifying and explaining different perspectives on social issues arising in areas such as industry, agriculture and resource management

Examples

• recognising how language can be used to position listeners in particular ways, analysing different accounts of the same event

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1a 1b







English ACELT1575

Science ACSSU004

History ACHHS020

English ACELA1460

Science ACSHE035

History ACHHK046

English ACELT1602

History ACHHS085

English ACELY1709


Science ACSHE099

History ACHHS123

English ACELT1626

Science ACSHE136

History ACDSEH009

English ACELY1813

Science ACSHE230

History ACDSEH108

Contribute to civil society

(The description above also applies to this sub-element)

describe ways they can help at home and school

describe how they contribute to their homes, classrooms and local communities, and how others care for and assist them

identify the various communities to which they belong and what they can do to make a difference

identify a community need or problem and consider ways to take action to address it

analyse personal and social roles and responsibilities in planning and implementing ways of contributing to their communities

plan, implement and evaluate ways of contributing to civil society at local, national regional and global levels

Examples

• describing their role in completing class activities and family chores

Examples

• describing contributions made by significant individuals to their communities

Examples

• identifying ways they can advocate for specific groups in their communities

Examples

• considering current methods of waste management in their local environment and ways they might contribute to improving these

Examples

• investigating strategies to maintain part of the local environment and ways to contribute to its improvement

Examples

• identifying and trialling strategies to address a global social issue such as child labour

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1a 1b







Science ACSHE035

History ACHHK046

Science ACSHE062 Mathematics ACMMG139

Science ACSHE099

Science ACSHE135

Science ACSHE195

Understand relationships


explore relationships through play and group experiences

identify ways to care for others, including ways of making and keeping friends

describe factors that contribute to positive relationships, including with people at school and in their community

identify the differences between positive and negative relationships and ways of managing these

identify indicators of possible problems in relationships in a range of social and work related situations

explain how relationships differ between peers, parents, teachers and other adults, and identify the skills needed to manage different types of relationships

Examples

• discussing different ways of working together

Examples

• discussing how words and actions can help or hurt others, and the effects of modifying their behaviour

Examples

• identifying the importance of including others in activities, groups and games

Examples

• identifying behaviours that display the positive use of power in relationships

Examples

• recognising personal boundaries, appropriate degrees of intimacy, distribution of power, effects of social and cultural norms and mores

Examples

• identifying the various communities to which they belong and how language reinforces membership of these communities

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1a 1b








Science ACSIS042

English ACELA1488 English ACELA1516

History ACHHK115

English ACELA1541

History ACDSEH010

English ACELA1564

History ACDSEH123

Social management


1a 1b







Communicate effectively

respond to the feelings, needs and interests of others

identify positive ways to initiate, join and interrupt conversations with adults and peers

discuss the use of verbal and nonverbal communication skills to respond appropriately to adults and peers

identify communication skills that enhance relationships for particular groups and purposes

identify and explain factors that influence effective communication in a variety of situations

analyse enablers of and barriers to effective verbal, nonverbal and digital communication

formulate plans for effective communication (verbal, nonverbal, digital) to complete complex tasks

Examples

• giving appropriate response to a peer’s

Examples

• practising encouraging others, listening to others’

Examples

• using spoken language and body language to share

Examples

• actively listening and responding to opinions that differ

Examples

• making and responding to introductions,

Examples

• analysing popular modes of communication

Examples

• using agreed protocols to join group discussions

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1a 1b







achievements such as by clapping, smiling or cheering

ideas, greeting others by name, excusing themselves when interrupting

observations and ideas

from their own building on the ideas of others in discussions, offering and accepting constructive criticism

used by young people, noting factors that promote or obstruct communication

and assert their own viewpoint, entertaining divergent views, developing guidelines for the effective use of social media

English ACELA1429


Science ACSIS014

History ACHHK003

English ACELY1668

Science ACSIS037

History ACHHK045

English ACELA1489

Science ACSIS071

English ACELY1816

Science ACSIS232

History ACHHS120

English ACELT1627

Science ACSIS139

English ACELA1572

Science ACSIS208

History ACHHS189

Work collaboratively


share experiences of cooperation in play and group activities

identify cooperative behaviours in a range of group activities

describe characteristics of cooperative behaviour and identify evidence of these in group activities

contribute to groups and teams, suggesting improvements in methods used for group investigations and projects

assess the extent to which individual roles and responsibilities enhance group cohesion and the achievement of personal and group objectives

critique their ability to devise and enact strategies for working in diverse teams, drawing on the skills and contributions of team members to complete complex tasks

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1a 1b







Examples

• taking turns, sharing resources and following class routines

Examples

• participating in guided group investigations

Examples

• including others in the group and respecting their opinions, working for a common goal

Examples

• encouraging others, negotiating roles and relationships and managing time and tasks

Examples

• assessing how well they support other members of the team in group investigations and projects

Examples

• considering the ideas of others in reaching an independent or shared decision

English ACELY1646

Science ACSHE013

English ACELY1789

Science ACSIS041

English ACELY1688

Science ACSIS065


Science ACSIS140

English ACELY1813

Science ACSIS208

Make decisions


identify options when making decisions to meet their needs and the needs of others

practise individual and group decision making in situations such as class meetings and when working in pairs and small groups

contribute to and predict the consequences of group decisions in a range of situations

identify factors that influence decision making and consider the usefulness of these in making their own decisions

assess individual and group decision-making processes in challenging situations

develop and apply criteria to evaluate the outcomes of individual and group decisions and analyse the consequences of their decision making

Examples

• making choices about resources for play and learning

Examples

• naming roles and responsibilities in class meetings and identifying fair

Examples

• deciding how to share resources for a learning task and forecasting the

Examples

• identifying the people, events and situations that influence how

Examples

• using scientific, ethical, economic and social arguments to make

Examples

• explaining how a change in a social policy could affect individuals and

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1a 1b







tasks methods for choosing people for these roles

outcomes of options decisions are made decisions regarding personal and community issues

groups

English ACELT1794

Science ACSIS064

English ACELY1709


Science ACSHE220

History ACHHK116


Science ACSHE136


Science ACSIS206

History ACDSEH123

Negotiate and resolve conflict


listen to others’ ideas, and recognise that others may see things differently from them

practise solving simple interpersonal problems, recognising there are many ways to solve conflict

identify a range of conflict resolution strategies to negotiate positive outcomes to problems

identify causes and effects of conflict, and practise different strategies to diffuse or resolve conflict situations

assess the appropriateness of various conflict resolution strategies in a range of social and work-related situations

generate, apply and evaluate strategies such as active listening, mediation and negotiation to prevent and resolve interpersonal problems and conflicts

Examples

• identifying characters in stories who feel differently about the same

Examples

• using strategies such as showing courtesy to others when voicing

Examples

• identifying issues that cause conflict and exploring how conflict has been

Examples

• demonstrating steps of a conflict resolution process such as listen,

Examples

• evaluating the effectiveness of imposed resolutions compared to

Examples

• using mediation skills to support people holding different views on a

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1a 1b







situation, and how they might respond in the same situation

disagreement or an alternative point of view

resolved in a range of contexts

express feelings, discuss solutions, make amends

mutually agreed resolutions to conflict

given topic and to assist in respecting one another’s views

English ACELY1784


English ACELT1589

Science ACSIS214

English ACELT1607

Science ACSIS065

English ACELA1516


Science ACSHE220

History ACHHK115

English ACELT1627

Science ACSHE136

English ACELA1564

Science ACSIS206

Develop leadership skills


identify ways to take responsibility for familiar tasks at home and school

discuss ways in which they can take responsibility for their own actions

discuss the concept of leadership and identify situations where it is appropriate to adopt this role

initiate or help to organise group activities that address a common need

plan school and community projects, applying effective problem-solving and team-building strategies, and making the most of available resources to achieve goals

propose, implement and monitor strategies to address needs prioritised at local, national, regional and global levels, and communicate these widely

Examples

• identifying ways to help at school, such

Examples

• discussing ways in which they

Examples

• choosing a range of roles in group

Examples

• volunteering to lead a peer coaching

Examples

• initiating and planning school and

Examples

• developing a communication

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1a 1b







as closing windows, tidying workspace, distributing resources

participate in games in the playground

activities activity community projects such as charity work, environmental projects and coaching

strategy for an identified project


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Ethical understanding

Introduction

In the Australian Curriculum, students develop ethical understanding as they identify and investigate the nature of ethical concepts, values and character traits, and understand how reasoning can assist ethical judgment. Ethical understanding involves students in building a strong personal and socially oriented ethical outlook that helps them to manage context, conflict and uncertainty, and to develop an awareness of the influence that their values and behaviour have on others.

The Melbourne Declaration on Education Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA 2008) recognises that ethical understanding assists students to become ‘confident and creative individuals and active and informed citizens’. It does this through fostering the development of ‘personal values and attributes such as honesty, resilience, empathy and respect for others’, and the capacity to act with ethical integrity (MCEETYA, pp. 8–9).

As cultural, social, environmental and technological changes transform the world, the demands placed on learners and education systems are changing. Technologies bring local and distant communities into classrooms, exposing students to knowledge and global concerns as never before. Complex issues require responses that take account of ethical considerations such as human rights and responsibilities, animal rights, environmental issues and global justice.

Building ethical understanding throughout all stages of schooling will assist students to engage with the more complex issues that they are likely to encounter in the future, and to navigate a world of competing values, rights, interests and norms.

Scope of Ethical understanding

Students learn to behave ethically as they explore ethical issues and interactions with others, discuss ideas, and learn to be accountable as members of a democratic community.

In this context, students need regular opportunities to identify and make sense of the ethical dimensions in their learning. As ethics is largely concerned with what we ought to do and how we ought to live, students need to understand how people can inquire collaboratively and come to ethical decisions. They need the skills to explore areas of contention, select and justify an ethical position, and engage with and understand the experiences and positions of others. These skills promote students’ confidence as decision-makers and foster their ability to act with regard for others. Skills are enhanced when students have opportunities to put them into practice in their learning; for example, understanding the importance of applying appropriate ethical practices in areas such as Australian Indigenous studies (AIATSIS 2011).

Students also need to explore values, rights and responsibilities to assist them in justifying their ethical position and in engaging with the position of others.

The processes of reflecting on and interrogating core ethical issues and concepts underlie all areas of the curriculum. These include justice, right and wrong, freedom, truth, identity, empathy, goodness and abuse.

Processes of inquiring into ethical issues include giving reasons, being consistent, finding meanings and causes, and providing proof and evidence. Interrogating such concepts

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through authentic cases such as global warming, sustainable living and socioeconomic disparity can involve group and independent inquiry, critical and creative thinking, and cooperative teamwork, and can contribute to personal and social learning.

As students engage with these elements in an integrated way, they learn to recognise the complexity of many ethical issues. They develop a capacity to make reasoned ethical judgments through the investigation of a range of questions drawn from varied contexts in the curriculum.

For a description of the organising elements for Ethical understanding, go to Organising elements.

Ethical understanding across the curriculum

Ethical issues arise across all areas of the curriculum, with each learning area containing a range of content that demands consideration from an ethical perspective. This includes analysing and evaluating the ethics of the actions and motivations of individuals and groups, understanding the ethical dimensions of research and information, debating ethical dilemmas and applying ethics in a range of situations.

Ethical understanding is addressed through the learning areas and is identified wherever it is developed or applied in content descriptions. It is also identified where it offers opportunities to add depth and richness to student learning in content elaborations. An icon indicates where Ethical understanding has been identified in learning area content descriptions and elaborations. A filter function on the Australian Curriculum website assists users to find where Ethical understanding has been identified in F–10 curriculum content. Teachers may find further opportunities to incorporate explicit teaching of Ethical understanding depending on their choice of activities. Students can also be encouraged to develop capability through personally relevant initiatives of their own design.

• Ethical understanding in English (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/General-capabilities)

• Ethical understanding in Mathematics (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/General-capabilities)

• Ethical understanding in Science (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/General-capabilities)

• Ethical understanding in History (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/General-capabilities)

Background

This background summarises the evidence base from which the Ethical understanding capability’s introduction, organising elements and learning continuum have been developed. It draws on recent international and national research, as well as initiatives and programs that focus on ethical behaviour across the curriculum.

Ethical understanding can be informed by reason, character, values and ethical principles. Each of these is addressed in the Ethical understanding learning continuum.

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People call on principles, concepts, experiences, senses, emotions and reasoning to guide them when making judgments. Therefore, it is important that students are exposed to situations that develop both their awareness of meanings and their practical reasoning abilities associated with their thoughts and actions.

Ethical theories can be divided broadly into those that focus on action and those that focus on agency or character; both are concerned with the ‘good life’ and how concepts such as fairness and justice can inform our thinking about the world. These considerations can lead to students’ developing a broad understanding of values and ethical principles as they mature.

Although they have their supporters and critics, interrogation of frameworks such as Kohlberg’s stages of moral development (1964, in Crain 1985), Ruggiero’s encouragement to apply ethical issues (1997), and the Values for Australian Schooling (in National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools 2005), guides thinking about the dimensions of learning about ethical understanding and how it might be developed or encouraged throughout schooling.

The Australian educational philosophers Burgh, Field and Freakley (2006) describe ethics as pertaining to the character of persons and the wider society. Lipman, Sharp and Oscanyan (1980) state that ethical inquiry should be ‘an open-ended, sustained consideration of the values, standards and practices by which we live … taking place in an atmosphere of mutual trust, confidence and impartiality’ (p.189).

One area of study in ethics is human nature itself and how that may equip us to answer the question: ‘How ought I to live?’ The philosophers Plato, Aristotle and Aquinas, along with Kant during the Enlightenment, and more recently modern philosophers such as Peter Singer (1997), identified the importance of reason as a human attribute – although their justification varied. Developing a capacity to be reasonable is one of the three elements of the Ethical understanding learning continuum. Other dimensions in the exploration of human nature are perceptions of activities and character: ‘What kind of person should I be?’ For some philosophers, this replaces the question of ‘How ought I to live?’

Although the basis of justification of what is right or good for the individual and for others is contentious, it is misleading to confuse disagreements in ethics with there being no right or wrong answer. There may be different positions, each with their strengths and weaknesses, and often there is the need to make a judgment in the face of competing claims. At the same time there is need for an open-minded, ongoing endeavour to create an ethical life.

The Ethical understanding capability has also been richly informed by understandings gained through the National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools (DEEWR 2005), and the resultant Values education initiatives in all areas of Australian schooling. In addition, the Melbourne Declaration on Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA, p. 5) states that ‘a school’s legacy to young people should include national values of democracy, equity and justice, and personal values and attributes such as honesty, resilience and respect for others’. While Values education is certainly found within Ethical understanding, it is also located within other general capabilities, such as Personal and social capability.

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References

Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies 2011, Guidelines for Ethical Research in Australian Indigenous Studies:

http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/research/docs/ethics.pdf (accessed 9 January 2013)

Burgh, G., Field, T. & Freakley, M. 2006, Ethics and the Community of Inquiry: education for deliberative democracy, Social Science Press, South Melbourne, Victoria.

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations 2005, National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools: www.curriculum.edu.au/values/val_national_framework_for_values_education,8757.html (accessed 9 October 2011)..

Kohlberg, L. 1981, Essays on Moral Development, Harper & Row, San Francisco, California.

Kohlberg’s stages of moral development in Crain, W.C. 1985, Theories of Development, Prentice Hall, New Jersey, pp. 118–136: http://faculty.plts.edu/gpence/html/kohlberg.htm (accessed 7 October 2011).

Lipman, M., Sharp, A.M. & Oscanyan, F. 1980, Philosophy in the Classroom, Temple University Press, Philadelphia.

McGuinness, C. 2010, Thinking and Metacognition video, The Journey to Excellence series, HMle – Improving Scottish Education: www.journeytoexcellence.org.uk/videos/expertspeakers/metacognitioncarolmcguinness.asp (accessed 7 October 2011).

McInerney, D.M. 2006, Developmental Psychology for Teachers, Allen & Unwin, Sydney.


Noddings, N. 2002, Educating Moral People, Teachers College Press, New York.

Ruggiero, V. 1997, Thinking Critically about Ethical Issues, Mayfield Publishing Co., Mountain View, California.

Singer, P. (ed) 1983, A Companion to Ethics, Blackwell, Oxford.

Singer, P. 1997, How Are We to Live? Ethics in an Age of Self-interest, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Stanford University, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://plato.stanford.edu/ (accessed 7 October 2011).

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Organising elements

The Ethical understanding learning continuum is organised into three interrelated organising elements:

• Understanding ethical concepts and issues • Reasoning in decision making and actions • Exploring values, rights and responsibilities


Organising elements for Ethical understanding

Understanding ethical concepts and issues

This element involves students in recognising ethical concepts and exploring ethical issues in context. Students identify, examine and give examples of ethical concepts. They discuss, analyse and explore dimensions of ethical concepts in context. In summary this element consists of:

• recognise ethical concepts • explore ethical concepts in context.

Reasoning in decision making and actions

This element involves students in reasoning and making ethical decisions, considering the consequences and reflecting on ethical action. They analyse the reasoning behind stances when making ethical decisions and evaluate the intended and unintended consequences of actions in an increasing range of scenarios. Students articulate understandings of a range of ethical responses in social contexts. In summary this element consists of:

• reason and make ethical decisions • consider consequences • reflect on ethical action.

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Exploring values, rights and responsibilities

This element involves students in examining values, exploring rights and responsibilities and considering points of view. They use instances of expressed values to explain social interactions and to determine rights and responsibilities in social and legal domains. Students recognise and interpret points of view in ethical contexts. In summary, this element consists of:

• examine values • explore rights and responsibilities • consider points of view.

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Ethical Understanding Learning Continuum

Understanding ethical concepts and issues








Recognise ethical concepts

identify ethical concepts arising in familiar contexts, such as good and bad behaviours

describe ethical concepts, such as right and wrong, honesty, fairness and tolerance

identify ethical concepts, such as equality, respect and connectedness, and describe some of their attributes

examine and explain ethical concepts such as truth and justice that contribute to the achievement of a particular outcome

analyse behaviours that exemplify the dimensions and challenges of ethical concepts

critique generalised statements about ethical concepts

Examples

• identifying the behaviours of characters in familiar stories

Examples

• describing instances of fair and unfair treatment

Examples

• exploring what it means to treat people equally

Examples

• exploring the difference between an honest mistake and intentional deception

Examples

• examining the challenges involved in demonstrating loyalty or honour, or avoiding harm to others

Examples

• balancing freedom of speech with the defamation of others

Science ACSHE035 History ACHHK077 History ACDSEH012

Explore ethical concepts in context

describe familiar situations that involve ethical concepts

discuss ethical concepts within a range of familiar contexts

discuss actions taken in a range of contexts that include an ethical dimension

explain what constitutes an ethically better or worse outcome and how it might be accomplished

analyse the ethical dimensions of beliefs and the need for action in a range of settings

distinguish between the ethical and non-ethical dimensions of complex issues

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Examples

• discussing familiar situations that illustrate the concepts of kindness or caring

Examples

• discussing story scenarios involving fair and tolerant behaviour

Examples

• exploring the responsibilities of witnessed to instances of bullying

Examples

• exploring the consequences for individuals of others’ actions, in a range of scenarios

Examples

• identifying sustainable practices, or ways of confronting cyber bullying

Examples

• considering whether animal experimentation is an ethical matter, and, if so, how

English ACELT1587 Science ACSHE051 Science ACSHE121 Mathematics ACMSP206

Science ACSHE135

History ACDSEH068


Science ACSHE194

History ACDSEH085

Reasoning in decision making and actions








Reason and make ethical decisions

identify examples from stories and experiences that show ways people make decisions about their actions

discuss how people make decisions about their actions and offer reasons why people’s decisions differ

explain reasons for acting in certain ways, including the conflict between self-respect and self-interest in reaching decisions

explore the reasons behind there being a variety of ethical positions on a social issue

analyse inconsistencies in personal reasoning and societal ethical decision making

investigate reasons for clashes of beliefs in issues of personal, social and global importance

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Examples

• exploring the choices that different characters make in stories

Examples

• considering the differing interests of others in the classroom and family

Examples

• explaining ways to reach fair and respectful decisions

Examples

• examining conflicting media reports about the same event

Examples

• examining decisions that lead to unequal outcomes

Examples

• examining the treatment of people in the context of disparity or distribution of resources

History ACHHK114 History ACDSEH021

Consider consequences

identify links between emotions and behaviours

describe the effects that personal feelings and dispositions have on how people behave

examine the links between emotions, dispositions and intended and unintended consequences of their actions on others

evaluate the consequences of actions in familiar and hypothetical scenarios

investigate scenarios that highlight ways that personal dispositions and actions can affect consequences

analyse the objectivity or subjectivity behind decision making where there are many possible consequences

Examples

• discussing the effects of selfish or uncaring behaviour on people’s feelings

Examples

• discussing the consequences of keeping or not keeping promises, or being truthful or untruthful

Examples

• examining what it means to cause people to feel let down

Examples

• assessing possible consequences of including or excluding a person or group

Examples

• examining the effects of tolerance on relationships or of misrepresentations in social media or reporting

Examples

• exploring the complexities associated with sharing or violating resources

History ACHHKO80 History ACDSEH054 History ACDSEH021

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Reflect on ethical action

identify and describe the influence of factors such as wants and needs on people’s actions

give examples of how understanding situations can influence the way people act

consider whether having a conscience leads to ways of acting ethically in different scenarios

articulate a range of ethical responses to situations in various social contexts

analyse perceptions of occurrences and possible ethical response in challenging scenarios

evaluate diverse perceptions and ethical bases of action in complex contexts

Examples

• identifying the difference between wants and needs at school

Examples

• assessing that a person is distressed and offering assistance

Examples

• considering responses to the questions ’What would I do?’ and ‘What should I do?' in a range of scenarios

Examples

• weighing the relative merits of actions to prevent harm to animals

Examples

• discussing whether or not witnesses should come forward in response to an event

Examples

• considering times when limiting liberty or free speech may be the best option

History ACHHK095 English ACELA1565

History ACDSEH109

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Exploring values, rights and responsibilities








Examine values

identify values that are important to them

discuss some agreed values in familiar contexts

identify and describe shared values in familiar and unfamiliar contexts

examine values accepted and enacted within various communities

assess the relevance of beliefs and the role and application of values in social practices

analyse and explain the interplay of values in national and international forums and policy making

Examples

• discussing care for self and others

Examples

• discussing the value of giving everyone a fair go

Examples

• acknowledging the need for honesty, respect and equality when working with others

Examples

• exploring instances where equality, fairness, dignity and non-discrimination are required

Examples

• exploring different beliefs and values when seeking to solve social and workplace problems and dilemmas

Examples

• explaining the complexity of factors leading to policies such as mandatory detention

History ACDSEH039 Science ACSHE230

Explore rights and responsibilities

share examples of rights and responsibilities in given situations

identify their rights and associated responsibilities and those of their classmates

investigate children’s rights and responsibilities at school and in the local community

monitor consistency between rights and responsibilities when interacting face-to-face or through social media

analyse rights and responsibilities in relation to the duties of a responsible citizen

evaluate the merits of conflicting rights and responsibilities in global contexts

Examples

• discussing reasons for and behaviours

Examples

• exploring rights and responsibilities, such as

Examples

• examining the relevance of rights,

Examples

• establishing differences between freedom of

Examples

• analysing actions when seeking to solve

Examples

• investigating the role of law in maintaining

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associated with school rules

friendship and care for others at home and school

such as freedom and protection, in everyday situations

speech and destructive criticism in debates or through social media

disagreements in a range of social and work-based situations

peace in public and private domains

History ACHHK114 History ACDSEH023

Consider points of view

express their own point of view and listen to the views of others

recognise that there may be many points of view when probing ethical dilemmas and identify alternative views

describe different points of view associated with an ethical dilemma and give possible reasons for these differences

explain a range of possible interpretations and points of view when thinking about ethical dilemmas

draw conclusions from a range of points of view associated with challenging ethical dilemmas

use reasoning skills to prioritise the relative merits of points of view about complex ethical dilemmas

Examples

• offering opinions in discussions that involve ethical considerations

Examples

• identifying a range of views on caring for the environment

Examples

• deciding on what basis an idea or action is trustworthy

Examples

• finding and unpacking biased research findings

Examples

• recognising the consequences of the non-disclosure of relevant facts for the outcomes of societal conflicts

Examples

• examining attitudes towards environments, diversity and socioeconomic disparity between groups of people

English ACELT1589 English ACELT1603 English ACELT1609 English ACELT1807

History ACDSEH043

English ACELT1812

History ACDSEH125

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Intercultural understanding Introduction

In the Australian Curriculum, students develop intercultural understanding as they learn to value their own cultures, languages and beliefs, and those of others. They come to understand how personal, group and national identities are shaped, and the variable and changing nature of culture. The capability involves students in learning about and engaging with diverse cultures in ways that recognise commonalities and differences, create connections with others and cultivate mutual respect.

Intercultural understanding is an essential part of living with others in the diverse world of the twenty-first century. It assists young people to become responsible local and global citizens, equipped through their education for living and working together in an interconnected world.

The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA 2008) recognises the fundamental role that education plays in building a society that is ‘cohesive and culturally diverse, and that values Australia’s Indigenous cultures’ (MCEETYA, p. 4). Intercultural understanding addresses this role, developing students who are active and informed citizens with an appreciation of Australia’s social, cultural, linguistic and religious diversity, and the ability to relate to and communicate across cultures at local, regional and global levels.

Scope of Intercultural understanding

Intercultural understanding combines personal, interpersonal and social knowledge and skills. It involves students in learning to value and view critically their own cultural perspectives and practices and those of others through their interactions with people, texts and contexts across the curriculum.

Intercultural understanding encourages students to make connections between their own worlds and the worlds of others, to build on shared interests and commonalities, and to negotiate or mediate difference. It develops students’ abilities to communicate and empathise with others and to analyse intercultural experiences critically. It offers opportunities for them to consider their own beliefs and attitudes in a new light, and so gain insight into themselves and others.

Intercultural understanding stimulates students’ interest in the lives of others. It cultivates values and dispositions such as curiosity, care, empathy, reciprocity, respect and responsibility, open-mindedness and critical awareness, and supports new and positive intercultural behaviours. Though all are significant in learning to live together, three dispositions – expressing empathy, demonstrating respect and taking responsibility – have been identified as critical to the development of Intercultural understanding in the Australian Curriculum.

For a description of the organising elements for Intercultural understanding, go to Organising elements.

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Intercultural understanding across the curriculum

Although Intercultural understanding focuses primarily on the development of skills, behaviours and dispositions, it also draws on students’ growing knowledge, understanding and critical awareness of their own and others’ cultural perspectives and practices derived from learning area content.

Intercultural understanding is more apparent in some learning areas than others, being most evident in those aspects of learning concerned with people and their societies, relationships and interactions, and in conjunction with the cross-curriculum priorities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia, and Sustainability.

Intercultural understanding is addressed through the learning areas and is identified wherever it is developed or applied in content descriptions. It is also identified where it offers opportunities to add depth and richness to student learning in content elaborations. An icon indicates where Intercultural understanding has been identified in learning area content descriptions and elaborations. A filter function on the Australian Curriculum website assists users to find where Intercultural understanding has been identified in F–10 curriculum content. Teachers may find further opportunities to incorporate explicit teaching of Intercultural understanding depending on their choice of activities. Students can also be encouraged to develop capability through personally relevant initiatives of their own design.

• Intercultural understanding in English (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/General-capabilities)

• Intercultural understanding in Mathematics (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Mathematics/General-capabilities)

• Intercultural understanding in Science (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Science/General-capabilities)

• Intercultural understanding in History (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/History/General-capabilities)

Background

This background summarises the evidence base from which the Intercultural understanding capability’s introduction, organising elements and learning continuum have been developed. It draws on recent international and national research, as well as initiatives and programs that focus on intercultural understanding across the curriculum.

Intercultural understanding is a relatively recent addition to Australian school curriculums. It has its origins in several fields including cultural studies (Hall 1997), language education (Kramsch 1998; Liddicoat, Lo Bianco and Crozet 1999), multicultural education (Banks and Banks 2004; Noble and Poynting 2000) and more broadly in sociology, linguistics and anthropology. Given its diverse origins, it is not surprising that the nature and place of intercultural learning are by no means settled and the definition of the term ‘culture’ is itself not agreed upon.

The Intercultural understanding capability adopts the Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Languages (ACARA 2011) definition of culture as involving:

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‘… a complex system of concepts, values, norms, beliefs and practices that are shared, created and contested by people who make up a cultural group and are passed on from generation to generation. Cultural systems include variable ways of seeing, interpreting and understanding the world. They are constructed and transmitted by members of the group through the processes of socialisation and representation’. (p.16)

Drawing on this definition, Intercultural understanding focuses on sharing, creating and contesting different cultural perceptions and practices, and supports the development of a critical awareness of the processes of socialisation and representation that shape and maintain cultural differences.

Furthermore, in acknowledging the founding status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Australia, it is alert to the place of negotiation and boundaries in engagements at the cultural interface (Nakata 2007) and mindful of practices that both celebrate and protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage (Janke 2008). In recognising the importance for Australia of maintaining positive relations and communications in its region, it promotes recognition, communication and engagement with the different countries and cultures within Asia. It also supports the development of a strong vision for a sustained and peaceful global future.

Intercultural understanding assumes an integral connection between language and culture, acknowledging language as the primary means through which people establish and exchange shared meaning and ways of seeing the world (Scarino, Dellitt and Vale 2007). It works on the assumption that, in learning to live together in a world of social, cultural, linguistic and religious diversity, students need to look beyond their immediate worlds and concerns (Arigatou Foundation 2008) and engage with the experience and ideas of others (Appiah 2006) in order to understand the politics of culture on the world stage (Sleeter and Grant 2003).

Intercultural understanding identifies knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that assist students in developing and acting with intercultural understanding at school and in their lives beyond school. At a personal level, Intercultural understanding encourages students to engage with their own and others’ cultures, building both their sense of belonging and their capacity to move between their own worlds and the worlds of others (Kalantzis and Cope 2005), recognising the attitudes and structures that shape their personal identities and narratives.

At an interpersonal level, it considers commonalities and differences between people, focusing on processes of interaction, dialogue and negotiation. It seeks to develop students’ abilities to empathise with others, to analyse their experiences critically and to reflect on their learning as a means of better understanding themselves and people they perceive to be different from themselves (Liddicoat, Papademetre, Scarino and Kohler 2003; Wiggins and McTighe 2005). It provides opportunities for students to question the attitudes and assumptions of cultural groups in light of the consequences and outcomes for others.

At a social level, Intercultural understanding builds students’ sense of the complex nature of their own histories, traditions and values, and of the history, traditions and values that underpin Australian society (MCEETYA 2008). Students learn to interpret and mediate cultural inequalities within their own and other societies. They learn to take responsibility for their interactions with others, to act on what they have learnt and to become intercultural citizens in the world (Byram 2008).

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References

Appiah, A. 2006, Cosmopolitanism: ethics in a world of strangers, 1st edn, W.W. Norton, New York.

Arigatou Foundation 2008, Learning to Live Together: an intercultural and interfaith programme for ethics education, Arigatou Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2011, Draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Languages, Sydney: www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Draft+Shape+of+the+Australian+Curriculum+-+Languages+-+FINAL.pdf (accessed 7 October 2011).

Banks, J.A. & Banks, C.A.M. (eds) 2004, Multicultural Education: issues and perspectives, 5th edn, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ.

Byram, M. 2008, From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship: essays and reflections, Multilingual Matters Ltd, Clevedon, Buffalo, England; Multilingual Matters, Buffalo, NY.

Hall, S. (ed) 1997, Representation: cultural representations and signifying practices, Sage, in association with The Open University, London.

Janke, T. 2008, 'Indigenous knowledge and intellectual property: negotiating the spaces', The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, vol. 37, pp. 14–24.

Kalantzis, M. & Cope, B. 2005, Learning by Design, Common Ground Publishing, Melbourne.

Kramsch, C.J. 1998, Language and Culture, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Liddicoat, A., Lo Bianco, J. & Crozet, C. (eds) 1999, Striving for the Third Place: intercultural competence through language education, Language Australia, Canberra.

Liddicoat, A., Papademetre, L., Scarino, A. & Kohler, M. 2003, Report on Intercultural Language Learning, Commonwealth of Australia, ACT.


Nakata, M. 2007, 'The cultural interface', The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, vol. 36, pp. 7–14.

Noble, G. & Poynting, S. 2000, 'Multicultural Education and Intercultural Understanding: Ethnicity, Culture and Schooling', in C. Scott and S. Dinham (eds), Teaching in Context, pp. 56–81, Australian Council for Educational Research, Camberwell, Victoria.

Scarino, A., Dellitt, J. & Vale, D. 2007, A Rationale for Language Learning in the 21st Century: www.mltasa.asn.au/rationale.htm (accessed 7 October 2011).

Sleeter, C. & Grant, C. 2003, Making Choices for Multicultural Education: five approaches to race, class, and gender, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

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United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 2006, Guidelines on Intercultural Education, Paris: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001478/147878e.pdf (accessed 7 October 2011).

Wiggins, G.P. & McTighe, J. 2005, Understanding by Design, expanded 2nd edn, Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

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Organising elements

The Intercultural understanding learning continuum is organised into three interrelated organising elements:

• Recognising culture and developing respect • Interacting and empathising with others • Reflecting on intercultural experiences and taking responsibility


Organising elements for Intercultural understanding

Recognising culture and developing respect

This element involves students in identifying, observing, describing and analysing increasingly sophisticated characteristics of their own cultural identities and those of others. These range from easily observed characteristics such as group memberships, traditions, customs and ways of doing things, to less readily observed characteristics such as values, attitudes, obligations, roles, religious beliefs and ways of thinking.

Students move from their known worlds to explore new ideas and experiences related to specific cultural groups through opportunities provided in the learning areas. They compare their own knowledge and experiences with those of others, learning to recognise commonalities, acknowledging differences between their lives and recognising the need to engage in critical reflection about such differences, seeking to understand them.

Strong intercultural relationships are built on mutual respect between people, communities and countries. Respect is based on the recognition that every person is important and must be treated with dignity. It includes recognising and appreciating differences between people and respecting another person’s point of view and their human rights.

In developing and acting with intercultural understanding, students:

• investigate culture and cultural identity • explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices • develop respect for cultural diversity.

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Interacting and empathising with others

This element gives an experiential dimension to intercultural learning in contexts that may be face-to-face, virtual or vicarious. It involves students in developing the skills to relate to and move between cultures through engagement with different cultural groups. Through perspective taking, students think about familiar concepts in new ways, encouraging flexibility, adaptability and a willingness to try new cultural experiences. Empathy assists students to develop a sense of solidarity with others through imagining the perspectives and experiences of others as if they were their own. Empathy involves imagining what it might be like to ‘walk in another’s shoes’ and identifying with others' feelings, situations and motivations.


• communicate across cultures • consider and develop multiple perspectives • empathise with others.

Reflecting on intercultural experiences and taking responsibility

The capacity to process or reflect on the meaning of experience is an essential element in intercultural learning. Students use reflection to better understand the actions of individuals and groups in specific situations and how these are shaped by culture. They are encouraged to reflect on their own responses to intercultural encounters and to identify cultural influences that may have contributed to these. They learn to ‘stand between cultures’ and mediate cultural difference.

To cultivate respect, students need to reflect on and to take responsibility for their own behaviours and their interactions with others within and across cultures. They understand that behaviour can have unintended effects on individuals and communities, and they identify situations requiring intercultural understanding. In developing responsibility, students learn to respect the human rights of others and the values of democracy, equity and justice (MCEETYA 2008).


• reflect on intercultural experiences • challenge stereotypes and prejudices • mediate cultural difference.

.

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Intercultural Understanding Learning Continuum

Recognising culture and developing respect








Investigate culture and cultural identity

share ideas about self and belonging with peers

identify and describe the various groups to which they belong and the ways people act and communicate within them

identify and describe variability within and across cultural groups

identify and describe the roles that culture and language play in shaping group and national identities

explain ways that cultural groups and identities change over time and in different contexts

analyse how membership of local, regional, national and international groups shapes identities including their own

Examples

• identifying the language(s) they speak, describing something special about themselves or their families

Examples

• identifying who they are and where they are from

Examples

• identifying diversity within a cultural group, such as members who challenge expectations of the cultural make-up of that group

Examples

• exploring the idea that countries have national identities which can change over time

Examples

• investigating the effects of time, re-location and changing ideas on cultural identity

Examples

• investigating the concept of multiple identities, and opportunities to operate across cultural boundaries

English ACELA1426


History ACHHK002

English ACELA1443

History ACHHK028

English ACELT1594


History ACHHS077

English ACELA1515

History ACHHKS096

English ACELT1619


History ACDSEH043

English ACELT1633

History ACDSEH110

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Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices

identify, explore and compare culturally diverse activities and objects

describe and compare the way they live with people in other places or times

describe and compare a range of cultural stories, events and artefacts

describe and compare the knowledge, beliefs and practices of various cultural groups in relation to a specific time, event or custom

analyse the dynamic nature of cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices in a range of personal, social and historical contexts

critically analyse the complex and dynamic nature of knowledge, beliefs and practices in a wide range of contexts over time

Examples

• comparing what foods are eaten at home or on special occasions

Examples

• comparing how people in different places dress, where they live, their celebrations and daily activities

Examples

• comparing media, texts, dance and music from diverse cultural groups including their own, exploring connection to place

Examples

• comparing ways of celebrating births and marking deaths or ‘coming of age’ in different cultures and subcultures

Examples

• examining gender roles, concepts of family or relationship to the land

Examples

• exploring the complexities of traditional and contemporary cultures in a range of real and virtual settings

English ACELT1575


Science ACSSU004

History ACHHK003

English ACELT1587


Science ACSHE035

History ACHHK046

English ACELT1602


Science ACSHE061

History ACHHK060

English ACELT1613


Science ACSHE099

History ACHHK094

English ACELT1626

Science ACSHE119

History ACDSEH033

English ACELT1639


Science ACSHE228

History ACDSEH149

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Develop respect for cultural diversity

discuss ideas about cultural diversity in local contexts

describe ways that diversity presents opportunities for new experiences and understandings

identify and discuss the significance of a range of cultural events, artefacts or stories recognised in the school, community or nation

discuss opportunities that cultural diversity offers within Australia and the Asia-Pacific region

understand the importance of maintaining and celebrating cultural traditions for the development of personal, group and national identities

understand the importance of mutual respect in promoting cultural exchange and collaboration in an interconnected world

Examples

• identifying cultural dimensions in familiar stories and events

Examples

• describing their participation in a range of cultural events at school or in their local community

Examples

• explaining the significance of a range of religious and cultural holidays and celebrations

Examples

• describing contributions that people from diverse cultural groups make to the community over time

Examples

• investigating the complex relationship between language, culture, and identity and efforts to protect these

Examples

• upholding the dignity and rights of others when participating in international online networks

English ACELT1578


History ACHHK003

English ACELT1591


History ACHHK045

History ACHHK063 English ACELT1608


Science ACSHE099

History ACHHK116

English ACELA1540

History ACDSEH054

English ACELT1634

Science ACSHE228

History ACDSEH143

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Interacting and empathising with others








Communicate across cultures

recognise that people use different languages to communicate

describe how the use of words and body language in interactions may have different meanings for various cultural groups

recognise there are similarities and differences in the ways people communicate, both within and across cultural groups

identify factors that contribute to understanding in intercultural communication and discuss some strategies to avoid misunderstanding

explore ways that culture shapes the use of language in a wide range of contexts

analyse the complex relationship between language, thought and context to understand and enhance communication

Examples

• learning and practising greetings in several languages

Examples

• discussing the meanings of a range of facial expressions and whether these mean the same thing to all people

Examples

• identifying various ways that people communicate depending on their relationship

Examples

• testing a range of strategies to overcome culturally based misunderstandings in given scenarios

Examples

• understanding how culture influences what people do or do not say to express cultural values, such as politeness

Examples

• engaging with texts to gain insight into the way culture shapes perspective

English ACELT1784


History ACHHK004

English ACELA1444

History ACHHK029

English ACELA1475


History ACHHK080


English ACELA1551

History ACDSEH088

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Consider and develop multiple perspectives

express their opinions and listen to the opinions of others in given situations

express their own perspectives on familiar topics and texts, and identify the perspectives of others

identify and describe shared perspectives within and across various cultural groups

explain perspectives that differ to expand their understanding of an issue

assess diverse perspectives and the assumptions on which they are based

present a balanced view on issues where conflicting views cannot easily be resolved

Examples

• sharing views on foods they like, or ways their families celebrate significant cultural events

Examples

• exploring a variety of perspectives on a specific event

Examples

• exploring a range of perspectives on an issue through role plays

Examples

• presenting the case for a perspective that differs from their own

Examples

• exploring the factors that cause people to hold different perspectives

Examples

• presenting multiple perspectives on complex social, environmental or economic issues

English ACELT1578

History ACHHK004

English ACELT1589

History ACHHK029

English ACELT1602


Science ACSHE061

History ACHHS069

English ACELT1610


Science ACSHE099

History ACHHK115

English ACELT1619


Science ACSHE136

History ACDSEH076

English ACELT1634


History ACDSEH141

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Empathise with others

imagine and describe their own feelings if they were put in someone else’s place

imagine and describe the feelings of others in familiar situations

imagine and describe the feelings of others in a range of contexts

imagine and describe the situations of others in local, national and global contexts

imagine and describe the feelings and motivations of people in challenging situations

recognise the effect that empathising with others has on their own feelings, motivations and actions

Examples

• describing how they might feel in the place of people in stories or events

Examples

• describing how a new student might feel on their first day in their school

Examples

• describing how children in a range of locations, such as urban or rural areas or in different countries, feel about their place

Examples

• presenting another person’s story as seen through their eyes or as if ‘walking in their shoes’

Examples

• describing the possible feelings and motivations of people facing adversity, natural disasters or conflict

Examples

• imagining and reflecting on the impact their words and actions have on others

English ACELT1783 English ACELT1582 English ACELT1596 English ACELT1610 English ACELA1564

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Reflecting on intercultural experiences and taking responsibility








Reflect on intercultural experiences

identify and describe memorable intercultural experiences

identify and describe what they have learnt about others from intercultural encounters and culturally diverse texts

identify and describe what they have learnt about themselves and others from real, virtual and vicarious intercultural experiences

explain what and how they have learnt from a wide range of intercultural interactions and experiences

reflect critically on the representation of various cultural groups in texts and the media and how they respond

reflect critically on the effect of intercultural experiences on their own attitudes and beliefs and those of others

Examples

• describing the visit of an Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or other community elder to their class

Examples

• describing what they have learnt about children in other places such as ’sister schools’

Examples

• identifying parallels between their own lives and the lives of others through a range of texts and media depicting diverse cultures

Examples

• explaining ways that different cultural perspectives have influenced their work or their thinking

Examples

• examining their responses to instances of cultural stereotyping

Examples

• describing how exposure to a diversity of views, ideas or experiences has or has not changed their thinking on an issue

English ACELT1580 English ACELY1655

Science ACSHE035

History ACHHK028

English ACELT1596

History ACHHS080

English ACELT1610

History ACHHK116

English ACELT1806 English ACELT1635

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Challenge stereotypes and prejudices

identify examples of the acceptance and inclusion of others in given situations

discuss the effects of acceptance and inclusion in familiar situations

explain the dangers of making generalisations about individuals and groups

explain the impact of stereotypes and prejudices on individuals and groups within Australia

identify and challenge stereotypes and prejudices in the representation of group, national and regional identities

critique the use of stereotypes and prejudices in texts and issues concerning specific cultural groups at national, regional and global levels

Examples

• describing what inclusion might look and sound like in the classroom or playground

Examples

• role playing situations that explore varying outcomes of accepting and being accepted by others

Examples

• discussing the truth of statements about groups of people that begin with the word 'all'

Examples

• describing possible effects of prejudice on the daily life of a person from a minority group

Examples

• analysing the media representation of Australia’s relations with countries in the Asia-Pacific region over time

Examples

• assessing the use of stereotypes in the portrayal of cultural minorities in national conflicts

English ACELT 1575 English ACELA1462 History ACHHS080 History ACHHK114 English ACELT1807 English ACELY1749

History ACDSEH145

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Mediate cultural difference

identify similarities and differences between themselves and their peers

recognise that cultural differences may affect understanding between people

identify ways of reaching understanding between culturally diverse groups

discuss ways of reconciling differing cultural values and perspectives in addressing common concerns

identify and address challenging issues in ways that respect cultural diversity and the right of all to be heard

recognise the challenges and benefits of living and working in a culturally diverse society and the role that cultural mediation plays in learning to live together

Examples

• identifying shared interests or hobbies with peers

Examples

• seeking to understand the words and actions of others which may at first seem odd or strange to them

Examples

• identifying common ground and shared interests, or developing shared projects with others

Examples

• describing ways of reaching understanding through dialogue

Examples

• engaging with views they know to be different from their own to challenge their own thinking

Examples

• balancing the representation and defence of their ideas and perspectives with those of others in a range of social forums

English ACELT1575

History ACHHK002

English ACELT1590 English ACELA1488

History ACHHS080

English ACELA1501

History ACHHK114

English ACELY1731

Science ACSHE136

English ACELA1564


History ACDSEH146

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